The opposition is getting killed with its own weapons.
The ‘weapons’ with which the opposition attacks Modi, they make the same their strength. Then with that, they make the opposition angry. PM Modi addressed supporters after the election victories of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. In this, he raised a point very loudly. Targeting the opposition, Modi had said- ‘They say – die Modi, people are saying – don’t go Modi…’. BJP retained power in Tripura. In Nagaland, it was successful in alliance with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Neiphiu Rio. He opened his way in Meghalaya as well. This is the same BJP which was not known anywhere in the Northeast before 2016. Which was called the party of the baniyas and the English belt. About which the opponents used to say that it has no base in the villages. It can win elections only in the name of Hindutva. But, all these myths have been destroyed by the BJP in the last few years. The biggest thing behind this is to reach the message of the party to the people at the grassroots level.
The opposition is not able to make the issues an ‘issue’.
The BJP winning state after state and the opposition shrinking makes one thing clear. That is, the way the BJP and PM Modi were able to connect with the people, the opposition and its leaders have failed. In true sense, the opposition could not make any issue an issue. Had it been able to create the issue, BJP would not have been winning state after state. Issues are not created by sitting in four walls and tweeting a few times. Neither the appeal to unite the opposition can fulfill the dream of uprooting the BJP from power. For this you have to come on the ground. Have to do public relations. Have to go among the people. Their problems have to be heard. The atmosphere has to be created. There will have to be as heated debate in the Parliament as BJP used to do when it was in the opposition. Overall the issues have to be made ‘issue’. An issue that can get people’s votes. All this is possible only by getting down on the ground.
Another thing has become clear from the continuous poor performance of the Congress. People have distanced themselves from him. Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ has also not shown much difference. Gandhi family has failed to mobilize people. People definitely gather to see him. But, it does not convert into votes. There is no member of the Gandhi family in whose name the Congress can seek votes. This situation is completely opposite to that of BJP. Modi has become the brand of BJP. In every election, BJP asks for votes in his name. People vote in his name with a lot of money.
What will be achieved through the platform of Kapil Sibal?
Sibal has now created a platform to take on the BJP. They claim that it was formed to fight the “injustice” prevailing in the country during the tenure of the BJP-led central government. Non-BJP chief ministers and leaders have been asked to extend their support. He has said that this will be a national level forum. Lawyers will be at the forefront of this. RSS shakhas are also spreading their ideology in every area. It gives rise to injustice. They will fight that injustice too. Sibal has called it a people’s forum. He has dismissed speculations that he is starting a political party. The senior advocate has also asked to make a website. But, how successful these efforts will be in stopping the BJP is doubtful.
Stalin had done something similar in the past. The occasion was of his birthday. During this he said that BJP should not come to power. Nor should its leader Narendra Modi become the Prime Minister again. This is the stand of his party. But, it will not happen because of their thinking and wanting. The point comes again there. For this concrete planning has to be done. Will have to fight on the ground. After all, who will fight Modi on the ground?