Vote for change

People's yearning for change in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh has resulted in the defeat of the ruling BJP in all these three states. The change and the anti-incumbency factor worked against the BJP. The underestimation of the opposition Congress by the BJP also contributed to its defeat. BJP was in the delusion that now Congress stands defamed among the people and its leadership is novice without any determined purpose and direction. So, people will never look towards it. But the youthful leadership of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his effort to present a united face of the party in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan resulted in the win. Except for Chhattisgarh where Congress swept the BJP, it faced a tough contest in both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Despite ruling for 15 years, BJP under the leadership of the outgoing Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave a tough fight to the Congress and the difference in the number of winning assembly seats between the two parties is marginal. BJP has won 109 and Congress 114 in the 230 member assembly of Madhya Pradesh. BJP had been ruling Chhattisgarh for the last 15 years. Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Rajastha were the strong bastions of BJP in the Hindi heartland. The defeat here by the Congress gives an ominous signal for it in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Though the just-concluded assembly elections were considered to be the semi-final before the final of 2019 Lok Elections, it is not necessary that semi-finalist always wins the final. But the victory of Congress party in these three BJP-ruled states has at least boosted the morale of its workers, leaders and top leadership. After 2014 worst-ever defeat, the party cadres were demoralized by one defeat after another. Congress party leadership realized that to win the election against the formidable political opponent like BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he will have to work 24x7. Congress party President Rahul Gandhi laboured hard and led the party from the front in all these election-bound states. His hard labour and concerted effort yielded fruit that within a year of taking over the mantle of the party, Congress has wrested three states from the BJP. Congress alliance with TDP against TRS in Telangana has failed completely. TRS under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao routed the Congress - TDP alliance and won the assembly elections with a massive mandate. He came back to power on a very strong wicket. Congress party has also lost its last N-E state of Mizoram where MNF ruled the roost. It won the elections handsomely. BJP must learn a lesson from this that the people know everything. Only tall talking cannot yield fruit for a long time. The people want to work on the ground. Firing in air cannot serve the purpose. The popularity of Prime Minister can no longer help BJP win elections without doing anything concrete on the ground. Yes, PM Narendra Modi is still the most popular leader of the country. But when the issue of hunger, unemployment, health facility, price rise comes to the fore, the reality of the ruling party is exposed. People want work and nothing else.