As Modi insulates BJP from defeat, on Gujarat ground, voices for change mention Kejriwal — and the future | Political Pulse News,The Indian Express
A fast learner from Modi, the guarantee cards Kejriwal is using for free bijlee and other benefits look like visiting cards with Kejriwal’s photograph -- a clever marketing technique to engage with people
The Congress, which should have been upbeat, having come close to defeating the BJP in 2017, displays a fatigue. This when many, including BJP leaders, said this was the Congress’s election to take “101 taka” — if only it had got its act together and projected an effective leader. Today, many can’t even name who is its party chief or leader in the state Assembly.
The state’s election history has been far more eventful, setting national trends. It was KHAM, an experiment in skilful social engineering, bringing together OBCs, Harijans, Adivasi and Muslims, which won the Congress a heady victory in 1985 — and was a precursor for Mandal that followed five years later.
An anti-reservation movement which acquired a Hindu-Muslim profile also foreshadowed what was to follow nationally — the BJP came to power in the state in 1995.
The post-Godhra election in 2002 and 2007 consolidated the Hindus behind Narendra Modi and he added “vikas” to his agenda — a trend he was to follow at the national level.
Today, hurt by rising prices and economic distress, many talk about the need for “badlav”, some openly, others cautiously.
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