Lok Sabha ’24: Anti-Incumbency scores over Direction, Delivery and Determination

             As the results of 80-day long exercise of Lok Sabha elections for the 18th Lok Sabha of world’s largest Democracy, are announced late on June 04,  the mandate of 97 crore Indian  Voters across 28 states and 8 Union territories  for formation of a new government presents a mixed picture for political pandits. In the democratic system it is  important for smooth functioning of any incoming   government  to have a clear  mandate  for  delivery of its promises,  policies and agendas, in 5 year term, whichever Front comes to  power.

An unstable government without a clear  majority, keeps running helter-skelter to stay in Power and  moves astrray in  fulfilling its pre-poll  promises and plans for progress.  The task of saving   its government, the top leaderhip is forced to   indulge in  body-shopping (number of MPs in support),  greedy legislators or smaller parties offering positions,  sharing power as well as  to dole out  unjust  incentives/freebies  to keep the  voters in  good mood.  India has seen such Fronts’ functioning  during  1967-70 and  1989-99 using all tricks for  saving  their   ruling  Coalitions by putting up  divisive and regressive ideas like Mandal and Kamandal.

Modi Govt’s performance parameters: Though every political party presents a list of manifestos and agendas for solving urgent issues facing the Nation, ideological, economical preferences; theyalso present a futuristic projection to bring the citizens employment, prosparity, development, more comforts without snatching their rights and assets. NDA Govt. under PM Narendra Damodardas Modi  came to power highlighting corruptioon, mehengai, stagnation and policy paralysis. Strict policy decesions were taken to eradicate corruption, delivery of benefits to  citizens through DBT, several scheme for controlling costs, boosting production, consumption, ease of doing business and ease of life by offering Tax incentives to individuals (raising Tax free income upto Rs. 7.5 lacs to individuals and dropping corporate Tax from 40% to 30% ) over the last 10 years.

Some major reforms and agenda items like Demonetision to bring out Black Money, GST role out, Defence production,  boosting International relations were NDA’s major achievements apart from solving major contentious issues of removal of Article 370 (and bringing Kashmiris into national mainstream), Triple Talaq, Kashi Vishwanath Corridor,  solving Ram Janambhoomi dispute and fecilitating Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya,  Passage of CAA bill and its implementation, were some of the Party’s long standing promises, which were fulfilled without disturbing social peace and order.

Shadows of Incumbency: With so commendable performance graph across all fieldsof Governance, near perfect  Booth management on one hand  and Opposition I.N.D.I.A. Gathbandhan  failing to present any United Agenda for future, no collective campaigning in most of the states of India,  on the other side;  if Modi’s NDA  could not  gather comfortable lead  in 18th Lok Sabha, political pandits find only the Anti-Incumbency  factor behind  BJP’s  dismal performance  and  NDA allies unable to  face regional satarps of the Opposition. Bhartiya Janta Party number went down from 303 in 2019 to 240 in 2024.

Using  PM Modi emblem profusely in the Road Shows, election  rallies, and publicity  literature  did not help as expected. It   brought down  the voting percentages  in most BJP  strongholds, while the Opposition  led their  campaign in smaller pockets, led by  regional or local  leaders.  In BJP campaigning no National leader was projected except  Modi, Yogi and Amit Shah, undermining the  performance of other  top leaders and  missing  Cabinet’s collective face.                                                                                    In social media, every morning we get goody-goody messages saying ‘Naya Sooraj , Naya Din, Nayi Subah’ New Opportunities, New Offerings, the Voter looked out  fresh faces, fresh messages of Greetings!  Opposition faces, if not strong national figures,  could sway their supporters in smaller pockets with Deceptive Slogans. like Lakhpati Banayenge, Khata Khat, Khasta Khat and more !

Where & How Now ?:   Though the incumbant NDA has been able to secure a workable majority in the Parliament, it will have to pay heavy price in Governance,  give away imporatnt cabinet portfolios.  There’s no harm in that but smaller  and regional parners have limited agenda, making money for expansion,  creating clamour for smaller targets, but shunning any responsibility for delivery!

Remember the proverb:  Success has Many Fathers, Failure Has None !