This is with reference to the editorial, ‘Bihar and beyond’ (November 9). From its inception, the BJP has had to subsist on hired cadre of the RSS. In 2014, this formidable cadre was made to stay away from ideological outbursts to enable Narendra Modi’s development rhetoric to dominate and culminate in a BJP win. But it could not be bottled up for the Bihar election. The BJP was forced to go with its borrowed foot soldiers.
The BJP needs the cadre, but can it tone down noises of the fringe? The parivar has long existed without a political face and would well to continue thus. The BJP, on the other hand, needs a cadre. For three decades now it has not thought of an in-house cadre.
The Bihar election is not a referendum on the Centre. The BJP Alliance seems to have held on to its vote share of 36 per cent which they managed to get in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. The united opposition was the decisive factor in this election. The Centre should move along with its reforms and pass legislations by talking more to the Opposition. We were promised 10 million jobs a year; shockingly, only 64,000 jobs were created in the organised sector for the whole of the first quarter this financial year. The Centre cannot be in a constant campaign mode. It must do the job it was entrusted with — which is to create 10 million jobs a year.
CR Arun
The BJP’s over-dependence on the Modi charisma is one of the main reasons for the defeat in Bihar. Local leaders were not given importance. Mohan Bhagwat’s statement on doing away with the caste system also played an important role in the defeat. Then there were irresponsible statements made by BJP leaders, such as Amit Shah saying Pakistan will rejoice if BJP loses and Modi saying there is something wrong with Nitish’s DNA. Nitish is a popular politician and his work and sincerity has been appreciated by all. The Bihar election shows that the voter appreciates good work.
Veena Shenoy
Thane, Maharashtra
The most important lesson is that no leader or party can take the people for granted. Those who voted overwhelmingly for the BJP in the Lok Sabha election not long ago have now overwhelmingly voted against it in the Assembly elections. That’s the beauty of democracy. Masses of people may be impoverished and illiterate, but they show politicians who’s the boss at the right moment.
The Bihar verdict conveys a few home truths. The fact that Modi’s appeal for votes went unheeded implies a diminution in his political standing. By stopping the Modi juggernaut, the people of Bihar have prevented a slide into civil strife and chaos. From the nature of the electoral result, it is clear that the religious card not only yielded no returns but also united the subordinate castes in favour of the Grand Alliance espousing social cohesion and social justice. Amit Shah's invocations of virulent nationalism to reap an electoral harvest struck no resonance with the voters. Against a background of growing disillusionment with the present government the result is likely to reverberate in national politics.
PS: Some TV channels were left with egg on their faces when they flashed leads for the BJP.
G David Milton
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Abject surrender
The result reveals more the defeat of the NDA than the victory of the Grand Alliance (‘Grand victory of Grand Alliance’, November 9). Modi surrendered Bihar as he concentrated purely on the election at the cost of attending to matters for India as a whole. Hopefully, he and his team have learnt a lesson.
RS Raghavan
Bengaluru
Very funny
The Centre says the Swachh Bharat cess is to inculcate civic responsibility in the citizens of India. Really funny! We pay innumerable taxes to the government. Income tax is a fine for doing well! The unreasonable direct taxation policies affect the salaried, in particular, and result in the proliferation of tax evaders. How can taxes create accountability and responsibility?
S Ramakrishnasayee
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
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