The Campaign Diary – 4th May,2014 Let all roads lead to Amethi. As campaigning for the last two phases for the 2014 elections reaches a climax all roads now must lead to Amethi. Narender Modi will be there tomorrow to address a massive rally at Amethi. The relationship of Amethi with its sitting MP is nominal. Despite having been a family stronghold for decades, Amethi remains one of the most backward constituencies. The infrastructure in Amethi is inadequate. It is a constituency where internal roads are not the object of envy. Many industrial units are sick. It is a constituency of people living in inadequate houses. The tragedy of Amethi is that the voters were never presented with an alternative option. The BJP is determined to put up a fight for Amethi. Smriti Irani is a formidable candidate. Whenever her vehicle reaches any village it is greeted with loud cheers for her, the BJP and Modi. The situation is ripe for a strong anti-incumbency against the sitting MP. Tokenism is never a substitute for substantive performance in a constituency. Family ties are not the alternative to improvement in the quality of life of the electorate. With a formidable candidate in place and a Modi campaign to back it, Amethi should be ready for a surprise. Amethi can be won by the BJP. Those of our cadres, in adjacent districts where polling is over in their constituencies, should reach Amethi to help the local workers in the campaign. Additionally, we must convince the electorate that a vote for AAP will only divide the anti-incumbency. Let Amethi be an electoral battle right till the last vote is cast. Rahul Gandhi’s No to the Third Front Rahul Gandhi has categorically said that his party would not support the Third Front. Its earlier track record does not inspire confidence in the statement. Parkash Karat has simultaneously said that for a ‘secular’ combination to come in place they will need Congress support. If the NDA gets a majority on its own or is within a striking distance, the Congress need not take the trouble of cooperating with the Third Front. The NDA will then be a reality. These options arise only after there is a hung house. It is unlikely that the Indian electorate this time is going to give a half-hearted mandate. The Left hopes for an indecisive mandate. Their best case scenario is that in a situation everybody else gangs up to keep the NDA out. Will this include TMC and the Left being on the same side or the BSP and SP, the DMK and the AIADMK to come up on the same side. Those who occupy the non-Congress space in their states will find it impossible to side with the Congress in Delhi. If they did side with the Congress in Delhi they will end up conceding their non-Congress space to the BJP. Indications are that the NDA is heading for a comfortable majority. The best case scenario for the Congress is a rag tag coalition to keep Modi out. The choice now is clear. It is either a Modi led NDA or a chaotic coalition. Obviously, a chaotic coalition cannot be an option.
Posted on: Sun, 04 May 2014 08:47:20 +0000
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