tipping point

 

THE Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has arrived at a tipping point in its political journey -- indicated by several pointers, such as nomination of Bihar Minister Mr. Nitin Nabin as its national Working President, nomination of Union Minister Mr. Pankaj Chaudhary as its Uttar Pradesh unit President, a clear majority in the civic elections for the Thiruvananthapuram (the capital city of Kerala), winning several other seats of lesser or bigger consequences in Southern Indian political landscape. It is obvious to non-partisan observers of national politics that the country’s biggest political party is readying itself up to shift to a higher gear and take its own achievements so far to the next level.

 

The appointment of a national Working President is a definitive step forward as the party had refrained from replacing the current President Mr. Jagat Prasad Nadda (who has overstayed in office by nearly one-and-a-half years). Eventually Mr. Nadda will move on and Mr. Nitin Nabin, considered a staunch BJP worker, may take his place -- if that suits the larger organisational and political strategies of the party. In Uttar Pradesh that goes to polls in 2027, the party has chosen Union Minister of State Mr. Pankaj Chaudhary as State President. He is known to be straight-forward in his dealings, and has a long political career as a Member of Parliament. He will expectedly make a positive difference to the party in the legislative elections. But what Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi described as “historic” is the victory in the Thiruvananthapuram civic polls. In a State where the BJP has had only a nominal presence, such an electoral performance is being considered as a very critical step forward. Political observers are attaching a great importance to this upheaval the BJP has brought about -- in deep South where non-BJP influence has been very dominant for decades.

 

The party has still to go a long distance down South, all right. But the Thiruvananthapuram victory has opened the doors of immense political possibilities not just in Kerala but also in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu in a religiously sensitive situation sparked by the controversy about the Deep Mala usage by the Hindu community. Both -- Kerala and Tamil Nadu -- are heading towards their legislative elections in some time, and the BJP’s political advance may lead to a change in several existing equations in the region. By making appropriate changes in the party’s internal arrangements, the BJP has indicated that it is getting ready to step up the political heat. Even though the Opposition camp is buying over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the BJP is pushing its massive cadres to take the fullest possible advantage of the opportunity to cleanse the voters’ lists and also increase voters’ numbers. It is least bothered about the thoughtless accusations the Opposition is heaping on the Government and the party for allegedly manipulating the SIR for political edge.

 

It welcomes the SIR because it gives the party an opportunity to expand its base still further riding on the shoulders of an official and legal process that the Election Commission is conducting as usual. We are tempted to describe the current condition as a ‘tipping point’ for the BJP because we realise the strength the party has built into its systems over the past decade and a half. Its internal dynamics is stronger and more fluent than the collective dynamics of all Opposition parties -- and its rank and file are all ready to utilise the fullest potential to take the party forward. The scales have always been tipping in BJP’s favour for the past one decade and more. Yet, from now onwards, the advantage of the new tipping point is going to be bigger and smarter. It is critical to note that the noise they are making notwithstanding, the Opposition parties appear bewildered to watch the BJP grow from strength to strength despite pitfalls and difficulties on the way. Meanwhile, the BJP is merrily looking forward to greater all-round success.