WELL FOUGHT INDIA, NDA THE WINNER

Thank God for small mercies! Just imagine if 400 par had become a reality. Poor old Rahul would again be blaming the EVMs, we all would have been deprived of all this chatter on the social media. The incumbent humbled at the hustings but still managed to survive by the skin of their teeth. The opposition really put in everything this time around, nobody can blame them for not trying enough. The common refrain is that Indian voters know how to reign in the rulers and keep them in check. I think it is time for a reality check, just look at the state wise election results and you will realise that states like MP, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Delhi belong to a different planet, no anti-incumbency here whatsoever, in fact there has been a clean sweep in these states, a total of 102 seats, barring just two seats going to the Congress. Karnataka, Bihar, Rajasthan, UP, Telangana, Bengal, Maharashtra, Jammu& Kashmir, Assam and Haryana have been judicious and there is a contest of sorts, some pro some against the ruling dispensation but there is a semblance of a healthy democratic process. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab have been outliers where the opposition was expected to do well and have been on predicted lines.

Now having seen this how do we arrive at this conclusion that the voters have decided to give the BJP a fractured mandate, when seven states comprising almost 18% of total seats have been totally pro Govt. Voters from MP and UP did not confer with each other that we will be pro, you be against so that the balance is retained. What emerges clearly is that even in LokSabha elections local issues dominate the national ones, so Article 370, Ram Mandir, Economy etc buckle down in front of inconvenience caused by the poor management of affairs in Ayodhya where people lost their dwellings and business without adequate compensation. The constitution in danger did not echo in the seven states where BJP made a clean sweep. But apparently it did strike a chord in the others. So some narratives were conceived and sold to the electorate by both the dispensations, it was upto the voters to accept or reject them.

In hindsight the INDIA coalition group must be kicking itself for not having pandered to Nitish Babu, as he was the one who floated this idea. Had he been with them, the tables could have turned. Similarly in Maharashtra Fadnavis must be ruing the day when he played hard to get with Shiv Sena after last round of state elections. Now he is facing another election and the MVA is having a upper hand. Babus have come to the rescue of NDA, Chandra and Nitish, naturally they will drive a hard bargain and expect to be rewarded with special packages for their states and plum portfolios. They have earned it.

Now that elections are done and dusted, govt formation is on the anvil, it is probably time for the sparring parties to reconcile. A hard fought boxing bout, the Election Commission has finally ruled "Well fought Blue, Red the Winner!" I think the two groups must congratulate one another on the efforts put in and get on with governance, but alas, I don't think that seems likely. A strong responsible opposition is a must in a healthy democracy which can keep the govt of the day in check. Here is hoping that instead of frequent disruptions, we will witness healthy debates maintaining the decorum of the house and take the country ahead on the path of inclusive growth. Amen!