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    Three lessons from Mandate 2011

    By Anirban Choudhury | Yahoo! India News – Mon 16 May, 2011

    Bengaluru: Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress ended the 34-year hegemony of the Left Front in West Bengal, while Jayalalithaa's AIADMK scored a landslide victory against the DMK in Tamil Nadu. These verdicts have left the losers stunned.

    The Congress scored a spectacular hattrick in Assam, bagging a near two-thirds majority. It managed to wrest power from the Left Democratic Front in Kerala by a wafer-thin majority. In Puducherry, it lost to a party rebel.

    So what is the larger picture today? What lessons can we draw from Mandate 2011?

    Lesson #1

    The Left has made itself irrelevant

    There was a time when the Left front had substantial clout; it was even talking of coming to power independently at the centre in 2009. It now lies decimated. Two of the three states the Leftists ruled are gone; they are left only with Tripura.

    So how did this happen? The blame has to be shared by the party bigwigs, but if you had to name one man for the mess, it would be Prakash Karat. His stubbornness has cost his party dear in West Bengal and Kerala.

    From being a brute majority in Bengal, Leftists are now a lame opposition in a bastion that had remained with them for 34 years.

    It is difficult to see where the slide began. Was it when they opposed the passing of the nuclear bill? Was it when party bigwigs like the late Jyoti Basu started to disagree with Karat? Was it when Somnath Chatterjee was expelled from the party for not abiding by the politburo decision to step down as Lok Sabha speaker on the eve of the nuclear debate?

    Karat didn't pay any heed to party members opposing the sacking of Somnath Chatterjee in 2008. The general elections of 2009 and the assembly elections of 2011 show the Left Front racing downhill. Most decisions that Karat took have taken the party farther away from the people.

    His lack of understanding of ground realities was again in evidence when he barred V S Achuthanandan from contesting the assembly polls. A popular upsurge later forced Karat to give him a ticket. With better support from his party, Achutanandan, who had earned a good name as chief minister, would probably have retained Kerala for the Left.

    As veteran leader Somnath Chatterjee pointed out, the Left Front has no connect with the masses. Karat failed to read what the people wanted.

    Lesson #2

    Aam aadmi is king

    Good governance pays and bad governance is rejected. This is one clear learning from the last few elections both at the state and the centre. In Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, good governance has been richly rewarded.

    Take also the example of Narendra Modi, voted to power for three consecutive times in Gujarat. The anti-incumbency sentiment does not come into play when a state is governed efficiently.

    In spite of the ghastly riots durring Narendra Modi's tenure, he has been voted back to power time and again. Why and how? Modi's administrative vision has turned the state's fortunes around. He streamlined the governance structure and cut costs. In short, he did whatever it took to force observers to prefix 'vibrant' with Gujarat. A good chief minister wins votes.

    Take also the examples of Assam's Tarun Gogoi and Puducherry's N Rangaswamy, both of whom have become chief ministers for the third consecutive term. Gogoi's success in getting the violent ULFA to the negotiating table has impressed the Assamese voter, who wants peace.

    It looks like netas can no longer grab votes on the basis on caste and religion; they have to govern well. Such is the frustration against bad governance that even Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the Left Front's only coherent voice in Bengal, had to pay a heavy price. This is hard to believe, but he has lost his Jadavpore seat.

    Lesson #3

    BJP is no longer a national party

    From a party that prided itself on being different, the BJP is now a party of indifference and infighting. And it is losing its grip on national affairs.

    The BJP has not won more than 10 seats in the five states that went to the polls this year. Baffling that the national opposition party has no qualitative or quantitative presence in most Indian states.

    BJP's Hindutva agenda has lost its currency; it is something no one cares about any more. Except in Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, the BJP has seen nothing but a downward slide.

    How can we expect democracy to flourish when the nation's principal opposition party is a sitting duck? The Congress has been making gains in states like Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and West Bengal, while the BJP has little say in many states.

    The BJP comes across as a hardline party, but it is also true that it gets blamed for any hardline action by any random group (the Mangalore pub attack was attributed to a group that allegedly had the party's backing).

    The party does not have a young leader who can infuse confidence among young voters. While a Rahul Gandhi has been making inroads for the Congress in hostile states like UP, a Varun Gandhi with his hate speeches is scaring people away, and reinforcing the party's hardline image.

    Hindutva played a major role in the BJP's rise as a national party but that ideology had a limited shelf life. The party is foolishly sticking to it when it has lost its appeal among the people.

    So how is the BJP a national party? It needs support from regional parties even to be considered a force at the centre. And it isn't doing anything to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance, which it led, either. Where are its new leaders?

    The BJP has to swallow its pride and think of a strong NDA. It has to portray someone clean like Nitish Kumar as an alliance leader, even if he is not from its own ranks. That is highly unlikely, with leaders like the power-hungry Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj dreaming big.

     

    51 comments

    • Richa
      Richa  •  9 months ago
      Both BJP and Congress are no longer national parties. This is for the simple reason no state wants his CM should be controlled by Delhi.
      Congress won in Assam not because of Sonia or Rahul but because of grass root work of Tarun Gagoi in his state.
      All CM's in spite of their party who are having individual image and are working for their people are being voted. Examples are Tarun, Modi, Nitish, Shivraj, Raman Singh and even Sheela to some extent.
    • david s
      david s  •  9 months ago
      Rotten potato meet good potato, result, petrol value hike, cooking gas value hike, Electric value hike, Food value hike, and many more to come.

      Enjoy common Citizen,

      I am not in CPIM side also but TMC was my first choice and become last when they declared collaboration with UPA and Congress. Consequences are in front of us.
    • ZEBA
      ZEBA  •  9 months ago
      Sorry to say......................................
      BJP is loosing its shine......
      Amma had got last chance to prove.................
      Let didi show the right way...........................

      Before speaking about corruption let BJP set its home rightly..............
      In Karnataka we have seen loooooooooooooooooooooooting of BJP leaders
      Call me for detail 9945027112
    • Daman
      Daman  •  9 months ago
      Congratulations on a very well analysed report. Only one thing is missing - People are gradually forgetting the loot, corruption and the money that has been stashed in foreign banks. Also cases like 'lost files of Adarsh Scam', and Commonwealth Games loot, destruction of foodgrains, are gradually being 'managed' so that the culprits do not get harmed. What a country and what a government that we have been blessed with!!!!!
    • Babu
      Babu  •  9 months ago
      I wish BJP leaders have time to read this analysis.

      I wish to add one important point for congress. There are also going in the BJP route. They have lost karnataka and loosig AP. They have also lost TN. Congress is eying only MP seats and hence neglecting the states and riding on the back of states parties, for the last two decades is destroying them. It is a pity that both the national parties BJP and Congress are loosing their ground
    • ThusSpakeGod
      ThusSpakeGod  •  9 months ago
      The fourth and the most important lesson is that the Indian public are becoming more and more aware of scams and corruptions in which these politicians are soaked in!
    • Gajendra Oza
      Gajendra Oza  •  9 months ago
      Are we moving towards 100% polling? Which in real terms means a mature democracy and warning bell for corrupt politicians & greedy leaders. Let us welcome new wave and fight corrupt
      system, stenthen our core values.
    • Dibyendu
      Dibyendu  •  9 months ago
      Karat is primarily responsible. Nandigram misadventure ,Singur bungling and Buddhadeb's frequent admission in public of mistakes and also the attempts by the left front partners to upstage Buddhadeb in each and every matter giving a handle to Mamata are the reason for such miserable defeat. Had Karat had foresight he in the first place should not have withdrawn support to Manmohan Singh Govt on an issue unconnected with people's burning problems. He should have advised Buddhadeb led Govt to voluntarily resign after 2009 LS debacle in WB. By clinging to power after losing trust of the people on technical grounds only further damaged the image. had the Govt resigned at that time the left's image would have got such a boost that it would surely bounce back in the next election. Karat never took bold steps and allways treaded beaten track
    • Kishore Kar
      Kishore Kar  •  9 months ago
      I am not agree with writer's view about third lesson. May be anyone can write anything but the fact is different. The BJP is currently in power in five states (Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh) where the party enjoys a majority of its own. In five other states ��� Punjab, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Bihar ��� it shares power with other political parties. The Congress is an oldest political party in India so they have advantage and experience as a ruling party. Only after them the BJP is the second largest political party those are ruling 10 states with their partners.
      People are saying that the NDA Government lead by Shri Atat Bihari Vajpayee was better than this most corrupted UPA Government.
      Now BJP is not taking any hardline issues but they are raising issues like corruption, price rise which is a common man's problem.
      Rahul Gandhi is simultaneously promoted by Congress and media, they always want a dynastic rule for a particular family. That is not good for our democracy. Even Rahul Gandhi couldn't save Congress in various elections after his campaign.
      BJP has many young leaders and anyone can become BJP leader(President) from any part of the country. That is impossible in Congress or any other dynasty politics. May be BJP has many organizational weakness that's why they didn't got seats in this election 2011. I am sure if BJP will win next time in some area, then writer will change his style.
    • pannvalan
      pannvalan  •  9 months ago
      1. There is an end for everything. Likewise, this time end has come for Left government in West Bengal. But remember, it is not 'death' of left parties. It is only a cycle coming to an end. If Mamatha commits mistakes, Left may be voted back in West Bengal.

      2. Aam Admi is a king, provided elections are held in a free and fair manner and all types of people are encouraged to vote in a terror-free atmosphere and money power, muscle power and organised malpractices are kept under check. This time around the Election Commission of India is the true hero for achieving this.

      3. If BJP is no longer a national party, so also is the Congress headed by Sonia Gandhi.
    • WatchOut
      WatchOut  •  9 months ago
      Photograph shows Sonia Gandhi with her kam-wali-bai.
    • raghvendra
      raghvendra  •  9 months ago
      Very well analysed.In fact,BJP boasting to be main opposition party in a democratic country like India has no presence in maximum states.It is because of fighting among themselves and no clear vision.It is taken 4 granted that only those willb e rewarded who will work 4 masses.
    • Menon
      Menon  •  9 months ago
      In Kerala Congress united all Christians and Muslims to vote for them. Some Hindus fell in this 'secular' experiment of Congress. Poor Hindu-Secularists indeed!
    • Ash
      Ash  •  9 months ago
      This was written by congressman, there are many other major point is missing in this article.
      1. People don't tolerate corruption.
      2. They can Come out and vote in more than 85%.
      3. Congress has been hoodwinking people for fo fast 60years, is no more holds good.
      Voter knows is more wiser now.
      UPA surely next in line to be booted, but IS THERE ANY PARTY(READY) TO TAKE THE REIN?
      cant see a party with differenc or party which will chage the nation.
    • KRS
      KRS  •  9 months ago
      WELL SAID MR.Anirban Choudhury , BESIDES THE OTHER TWO LESSON YOU MENTIONED
      THE NO: 3 LESSON IS JUST EXACT AND PIN POINT . YES THE NO GOOD STANDING WITHIN THE BJP HAS BROUGHT THE PARTY TO GROUND LEVEL NOW AND NONE OF THE BJP LEADERS SEEM TO CARE. EVEN THAT YSR. JAGAN IN AP IS DOING BETTER AND LOOK AT HIS CAMPAIGN AND COVERING OF THE AP. WHY THE BJP LEADERS ARE JUST NOT CONCERENED . YES JI YOU SAID RIGHT THE BJP IS NO MORE A NATIONAL PARTY AS IT LOOKS . THEY HAVE TAKEN NO BETTER STEPS TO IMPROVE THE PARTY AND EVER LEADER IS JUST TRYING TO PUT UP A NO USE SHOW . YES THE NO PROPER STABILITY IN THE BJP HAS MADE THE PEOPLE FORGET THERE IS A ALL INDIA NATIONAL OPPOSITION PARTY IN INDIA AT ALL . IT IS BETTER THE BJP BIG HEADS LEAVE THE FULL POWER TO MR. NARENDRA MODI . HE IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN REBUILD THE PARTY AT PRESENT . NOTE , BECAUSE THERE IS NO BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND COMMITTMENT WITHIN THE BJP , THE CONGRESS IS TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO FIGHT FROM THE BJP AND ITS LEADERS , EVEN WHEN THE PETROL PRICE IS HIKED OR PRICES GO UP . WHAT DOES IT MEAN , BJP HAS STOPPED BOTHERING ABOUT THE NATION AND ALSO ITS OWN SELF . . ANY COMMENTS SIR ???????????.
    • Manmohan Singh
      Manmohan Singh  •  9 months ago
      This nation has great past, great social leaders, great intellects -Can I urge this country to think objectively and seriously to make a suitable RULER for this country. To save from a 60 years international coward record, every outsider can well fulk this country by words and acts -this is Congress Foreign policy.

      40 lacs crores in foreign banks acct of which 80% are Congressis or congress elite syndicate, every act to benefit USA by all economist together since years, madly after 9% GDP growth to benefit congress syndicate (neta+industrialist+mafia) -NOT A SINGLY MIDDLE CLASS OR POOR INDIAN WILL BE benefited of this 9% growth -Economic policy. This non-graduate PM candidate says -he is working on corruption at midnight, under cover silently -truth is you are manipulating the things so that all trillions of funds remains with congress and then this Indians can be befooled of few names and thousands of dollars recovering from abraod.

      Naxalites who are declared anti-nationals by the MoHA, the corrupt and hypocrat Chidambaram, crime a free lolypop in this country, moral for crime is highest -Home Land Security policy (investing trillions in instruments can never save 26/11 or 9/11).

      Why this nation is being befooled -by telling a @#$% a Rajhans. The young generation should take caution of this disable Rahul -he does not have a voice to influence the world -he talks like a born goat and that too with hundreds of general knowledge mistakes. he is mad after foreign gilr(s) where Indian girls are best in character, culture and beauty- this is a real insult to this country female population.
      Be careful of the mafia of the TV channels who just plant persons as great & relaible leaders, plse save this country from this Family rule -its because a matured syndicate & mafia rather a competent party or group of people to rule such a great country with vision, conduct and morality.

      This is the fourth lesson to be learned by patriotic Indians- and evevn by straunch CONGRESSI like me (since 3 geberations). Youth of this country try to understand the need of the country -its not glamour, Barkha datta, Singhvi (the bast$$$$) imposing conclusions are reqd. Dont choose this family and the real crook who does not know how to rule or take this country to world power.
    • Champion Citizen
      Champion Citizen  •  9 months ago
      3 Lessons :
      1. DMK lost in TN because of its alliance with the corrupt image of Italian Congress,
      Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty among Tamil Voters.
      2. AIADMK must not repeat the same mistake of DMK by aligning with Italian Congress whi****
      trying to find "PARTNERS-IN-CRIME" to share their shaky throne at the Centre.
      We already have Tamil AMMA -- We don't need ITALIAN AMMA .
      3. Mamata doesn't need Italian Congress in W.Bengal. Mamata is capable of being on her own.
      BENGALIS VOTED ANTI-INCUMBENCY AGAINST COMMUNISTS ---
      & NOT FOR ITALIAN CONGRESS.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  9 months ago
      i strongly disagree with the article.
      the legacy of congress is done by mahatma gandhi and old generation of nehru family. so the roots of congress is too strong. left and bjp are parties of its own policies, made up of by people for people. unfortunately in certain non hindi speaking states it finds difficulty in to find a foothold. BJP was never a active party in Tamilnadu and kerala or west bengal. kerala and west bengal differs from other states because of its educational status. in tamil nadu congress lost its legacy here that is worse than BJP's nonexistence in the state. Hindutva ideology is not practical but it was taken in between to attract voters not that it is the ideology of the part's ruling ideology. Rather it was used to degrade the party's image by congress and its corruptive senseless leaders.In fact congress is the party which used non violence to grab the power from British is using the same British tactics of "Spilit and Rule' which will downgrade our indian values in fututre. congress is going to be the biggest enemy of our so called secular state.
    • Dibyendu
      Dibyendu  •  9 months ago
      Left has to modernise it's century old ideology which is not compatible in today's technology driven world. Mamata magic may not last long as she has promised all to everyone which is bound to create disappointment sooner or later. Congress has taken a self defeating course only for the sake of retaining power in centre. It will allways have to move only on cruches like TMC/DMK/ADMK/SP and so on.BJP has to come out of it's HINDUTWA OBSESSION and cleanse it's ranks of power mongers and greedy people
    • Rahul
      Rahul  •  9 months ago
      Tarun Gogai in Assam has won because Our PM (MMS) has not voted for him, if he (MMS) had given his vote may be Tarun would have lost.

      Great job Tarun Gogai, even without the great support from the Centre, u did a splendid job and keep it up, Though I am not a great fan of congress, but people always praise good work.
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