Written by Majjathi Saiteja Yadav & Kallem Vennela Reddy (Sem. II)
Why the BJP’s ‘400 par’ backfired?
The Bharatiya Janata Party entered the 2024 election battle with a smug confidence about retaining power for a third consecutive term. They adopted the slogan ‘Ab Ki Baar, 400 Par’, asserting that they would win 400 seats and create history.
The party’s previous slogans — ‘Ab Ki Baar, Modi Sarkaar’ in 2014 and ‘Phir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkaar’ in 2019 — worked well for it. But the 2024 slogan seem to have backfired, despite heavy campaigning. The Narendra Modi-led BJP managed to win only 240 seats, 32 short of the majority. What were the factors behind this decline in seats?
Unity of the Opposition
Unlike previous elections, the opposition parties unified their efforts, strategically targeting the ruling government’s weaknesses. This cohesive approach succeeded in influencing public opinion and securing votes against the BJP.
Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra
Rahul’s immense outreach during his Bharat Jodo Yatra helped him connect with all sections of society and address their concerns. His grassroots engagement and criticism of the BJP resonated with the electorate, contributing to a gain in people’s trust and significant increase in Congress seats from 52 to 99.
Impact of Local Parties
The BJP lost a considerable number of seats in states with the highest number of Lok Sabha constituencies, such as West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, where BJP had good tally in the previous elections. Regional parties like the TMC in Bengal, SP in Uttar Pradesh outperformed BJP and won majority seats by exposing the BJP’s failures and benefiting from their increased vote share.
Manipur Issue
The crisis in Manipur captured nationwide attention, with widespread concern over the escalating violence and deteriorating law and order. Given the severity of the situation, the BJP government faced criticism for its lack of prompt action to restore control. This inaction fuelled public dissatisfaction and provided the opposition with a platform to question the government’s response during parliamentary sessions, further impacting the BJP’s electoral prospects.
Religious mobilisation
Some sections of society perceived the BJP’s mobilisation of the majority community as a threat. The opposition leveraged this perception, which resonated with voters and affected the party’s electoral performance in some areas.
Economic Struggles
Rising costs of daily necessities, including fuel and living expenses, significantly impacted the middle class. The increased financial burden on both the middle class and the poor generated widespread discontent, contributing to a negative perception of the BJP among these sections.
Apart from these reasons, there are also other issues that have harmed the BJP and contributed to a decline in their seat count.
Public dissatisfaction brings down BRS in Telangana
In the 2023 Assembly Elections in Telangana, Congress party came to power for the first time since the formation of the state in 2014. A. Revanth Reddy became the second chief minister of the state. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) lost the elections, missing on a hat-trick chance. The election result clearly showed a shift in the mood of voters.
One of the main reasons is — Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) becoming Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The regional ambitions that were present during the Telangana movement faded away and the greed for gaining political power at the centre rose. The people of Telangana couldn’t digest the fact that the party which was responsible for state formation forgot its role and is running after power.
Dissatisfied youth complained that ‘Niyamakalu’ (recruitments) weren’t addressed by the BRS government.
Most importantly, BRS failed to address the issues of unemployed youth of Telangana in its 10-year rule. Dissatisfied youth complained that ‘Niyamakalu’ (government jobs and recruitments), which is one of the key demands for a separate Telangana, wasn’t addressed by the BRS government. The exams they tried conducting were also cancelled due to paper leaks.
Another aspect where TRS (later BRS) failed was in aiding the activists, martyrs and their families who led the Telangana movement. They were not given a suitable place in KCR government as if their blood and sweat has no value. Instead, undeserved (family members of KCR) were given place in the ministry.
Also, there was dissatisfaction with BRS government’s performance and its unnecessary expenses. They failed to implement government schemes properly. General public faced lot of difficulties in claiming their benefits. The public was unhappy about corruption by people in power.
For the reasons mentioned above, people were fed up with their rule and opted to support a new party which would help fulfil their aspirations.
Though Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress had almost equal chance of using the anti-incumbency to their advantage, people preferred to vote Congress as a sign of gratitude for carving out Telangana in 2014. However, this could be a momentary transition as BJP is on the rise. It totally depends on how the Congress government performs.
Another reason for the Congress party to gain momentum is the leadership of A. Revanth Reddy. It is his captivating speeches and on-ground strategies that gained the support of people.
One of the key aspects of Congress winning the elections is its manifesto. The people were impressed with the six guarantees announced by Congress. They assured unemployed youth with a yearly ‘job calendar’. All these factors played a decisive role in its win.
A new party forming the government in the state and a big party forming government with reduced majority at the Centre are both indicators of people’s brave decision to change their minds in tune with the ground reality.
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