Due to this, a unique situation occurred in which the opposition wanted Parliament to work but the treasury benches obstructed the process by seeking Gandhi’s apology. On March 19, the Delhi Police showed up at Gandhi’s home in search of information regarding his claims during the Bharat Jodo Yatra that women had come to him and said they had been sexually abused.
Source: India Today
The BJP’s robust response might be seen as the ideological response of a party whose central tenet is nationalism. From a liberal perspective, Gandhi’s comments appear to be an extension of his right to free speech, but for the BJP, they represent an insult to India as a whole and a denigration of its democracy outside.
Election result forecasting carries its own dangers, particularly given how close the Lok Sabha elections are to being held. Nonetheless, the BJP’s Modi vs. Gandhi plan might not work this time. The corruption allegations against the Manmohan Singh administration crippled Gandhi (and the then-ruling Congress) in 2014, but the airstrikes on Balakot in 2019 fundamentally altered the game for Modi.
Gandhi was also the target of constant propaganda at the time, portraying him as a pappuu2014a political lightweightu2014who couldn’t compete with Modi. Today’s Congress appears to be more motivated. Due to the lack of corrective actions and factionalism at its top, the grand old party was a demoralized and heavily derided force in 2014. Although the Congress still lacks organizational strength and many of its leaders have left the party, it does seem to have recovered some of its combative spirit.
Source: India Today
Not to be overlooked is the fact that the Congress already has allies in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Bihar. Although if it is at odds with the Left in Kerala, the Congress is now more pragmatist and adaptable when it comes to coalition politics as evidenced by its alliances with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in West Bengal and Tripura. Talks behind the scenes with other parties are ongoing.
Not that it will be simple for the opposition to win in 2024, mind you. Modi is a powerful politician. He is equipped with a sizable election machine. He may appear unstoppable right now because to his disproportionately large resources and compromised institutions, but the conflict in 2024 will be more nuanced than most people realize.
The Adani-Hindenburg study may be haunting the BJP, making it less likely that its plan would be as successful as it is being thought to be. They may require a backup plan.
Will the 2024 elections see a repeat of 2014 and 2019?Share your views in the comment section below.
