* Prashant Kishore breaks it down in four points
By C Subrahmanyam
Prashant Kishore, the political strategist who helped several parties win elections in India, has recently shared his insights on how to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to him, BJP is not invincible, but it has four key strengths that make it a formidable political party.
He said that any party that wants to challenge BJP must understand and counter these four factors, or else they will have little chance of success.
The first strength of BJP is its ideological base, which is Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism. BJP has successfully mobilized millions of Hindus who feel proud of their religion and culture, and who perceive threats from other communities, especially Muslims.
BJP has also projected itself as the defender of Hindu interests and values, and has used various symbols and slogans to appeal to the Hindu sentiments.
The second strength of BJP is the hyper-nationalism that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has infused in the party and the country. Modi has portrayed himself as a strong and decisive leader who can make India a global power and a leader in various fields.
He has also showcased his diplomatic skills and charisma by holding mega-events and rallies in foreign countries, and by forging close ties with influential leaders. Modi has also used the rhetoric of national security and development to rally the people behind him.
The third strength of BJP is the direct beneficiary scheme, or the Labharti, as they call it in Hindi. BJP has implemented several welfare schemes and programs that have reached millions of poor and marginalized people, and have given them tangible benefits.
These schemes include free cooking gas, health insurance, toilets, housing, electricity, bank accounts, and cash transfers. BJP has also used technology and data to monitor and deliver these schemes, and has created a feedback mechanism to connect with the beneficiaries.
The fourth strength of BJP is the organizational and financial muscle that it has built over the years. BJP has a vast and disciplined cadre of workers and volunteers, who are trained and motivated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the party.
BJP also has a sophisticated and effective election machinery, which uses data, analytics, social media, and communication tools to reach out to the voters and influence their choices. BJP also has a huge advantage in terms of funding, as it receives the lion’s share of donations from various sources, including corporates, individuals, and electoral bonds.
Prashant Kishore said that these four factors are the main reasons why BJP is winning elections, and not necessarily because of Modi, Amit Shah, or RSS. He said that any party that wants to take on BJP must beat them in at least three of these four factors, or else they will not have much chance to defeat BJP.
He also said that different parties may have different strategies and tactics to counter BJP, depending on their regional and local contexts. While Prashant Kishore added that he is not against BJP, but he is in favour of a healthy and competitive democracy, where different parties and ideologies can coexist and compete and he hopes that his views will help the opposition parties to understand and challenge BJP better.
