India’s current government is led by the Bharatiya Janta Party or the BJP. It is also the country’s largest national party. It was formed in 1980, though its origins lie in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which was founded in 1951. The Jana Sangh was closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization that continues to play a significant role in shaping the BJP’s ideology.
The party first came to power at the center in 1996, but its government lasted only 13 days. It returned to power in 1998, forming a coalition under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister. His tenure saw India conducting nuclear tests in 1998, economic reforms, and a focus on infrastructure development. However, the BJP lost power in 2004 to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The BJP made a historic comeback in 2014 by securing 282 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha, with Narendra Modi as India’s prime minister. Major policy changes include the revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 that criminalized triple talaq in India.
The government’s handling of several protests and crises has faced widespread scrutiny. The 2020–2021 farmer protests, which were sparked by the controversial farm laws that were later repealed, drew significant public attention, with criticism directed at the use of force and the management of the situation. Similarly, the government’s response to the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests raised concerns over its handling of dissent, particularly the use of force. The BJP’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic also attracted criticism, especially regarding the lack of transparency around the death toll, shortages of medical resources like oxygen cylinders, and inadequate preparedness during the second wave.
Additionally, the ongoing inter-tribe conflict in Manipur, which erupted in 2023, has faced criticism for the government’s perceived failure to take adequate action, with accusations of poor crisis management and insufficient intervention in addressing the escalating violence.
There is no support for Vasundhra in Rajasthan anymore in present scenario. The Jaat votes are already going to be casted to Hanuman Beniwal. If BJP appoits GS Shekhawat it will certailnly keep its traditional Rajputs votes intact. So thinking of Amit Shah is in right direction but CM want her men to be appointed not in favor of party but to save her monopoly in state unit of BJP
Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist, Barnala(Punjab)
Will not Amit Shah be inviting undue trouble by ignoring Ms.Vasundhra Raje pushing his choice for the office of Rajasthan BJP Chief in form of Mr. Gajendra Shekhawat that too in polls season ? Will he be able to wrest win in the ensuing Rajasthan Assembly Polls and then Lok Sabha Polls due in May 2019 sans Raje’ s active support ?
Herculean task as well as challenge for Amit Shah !
Choice now between his assertion of his authority or BJP ‘s Erosion-Loss of solid vote bank !
Will BJP Central leadership be able to face the music of Raje’s wrath or anger as well as her hardened posture ?
Ironically, BJP’s problems and worries go on mounting and multiplying instead of showing a decreasing trend !
Severe testing times indeed for the BJP’s duo of NaMo- Shah and Naari Shakti too !
Prof PK Sharma, Freelance Journalist
Pom Anm Nest,Barnala(Punjab)