THE outcomes of exit polls have almost fully matched the actual results of the legislative elections to four States and one Union Territory. As per the exit poll prediction, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ousted the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, kept Assam with it for a consecutive third term. In Tamil Nadu, the prediction of one exit poll proved right that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazagham (TVK) founded and headed by famed actor Mr. Vijay would emerge as the single largest party in the State. The prediction about Keralam also came true that the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress party would snatch power from the Left Front. In Puducherry, the alliance with the BJP has won the election once again. In other words, the exit polls had given the nation a good and correct picture of what was most likely to happen by way of results. Despite this, the actual results of West Bengal elections were the ones most waited for.

 

The fifteen-year misrule of the Trinamool Congress has come to end in West Bengal. The BJP’s hard work of years, its slow but steady work to build inroads into the TMC bastions proved right and a major Opposition bastion crumbled. Not just the exit polls but also the BJP’s top leadership had predicted such an outcome in West Bengal. After all, Mamata ‘Didi’ could not counter the BJP’s juggernaut and lost power to the world’s biggest political party. West Bengal did not throw out TMC but also ensured that the transition took place in a mostly peaceful manner. These elections, thus, proved to be historic in more ways than one. Thus, after several decades, West Bengal will now be ruled by a genuinely nationalistic party with a clear and long-distance vision. If this disruption took place in West Bengal, across the country in Tamil Nadu and Keralam, another disruption took place -- Tamil Nadu has slipped from the grip of Chief Minister Mr. M.K. Stalin and his Dravida Munetra Kazagham (DMK).

 

The emergence of Mr. Vijay’s party TVK to the top may prove a game-changer in Southern political landscape. Whether the TVK gets a full majority on its own or it forms an alliance may get decided in a couple of days. But the ouster of DMK shows that its anti-Sanatan stance made the party pay a heavy price for its arrogance. The elections, however, gave the All India Anna DMK a chance to redeem itself to some extent. There should be no doubt that the TVK led by Mr. Vijay would play a critical role in southern as well as national politics for some time. The elections gave the Congress party a new lease of life in Keralam. In West Bengal, the party could not establish even a toe-hold for itself. In Keralam, it has replaced the Left Democratic Front. Had the Keralam victory not come the Congress way, the party would have found itself inching closer to extinction in the next few years. It is in power in a couple of States across the country, but did not have the gusto to be a national party in a true sense.

 

The Keralam victory has given the party a fresh impetus to try to resurrect itself -- if its national leadership is wise enough and mature enough. For the BJP, these elections proved to be a great booster. Now, the entire eastern landscape will be ruled by the BJP. The party’s election strategy, its cadre-strength, its sense of purpose, its internal discipline have proved to be the BJP’s assets. It has once again proved that it has perfected the science of winning elections. The Opposition charge that the BJP uses Central machinery to win elections, however, has no value and substance. The Opposition may use that ploy as a justification for its non-performance at the hustings, all right. But factually, they cannot grudge the BJP’s organisational superiority and sharp focus on its goals and purpose. One of the most important gains of these elections is that the Congress party in particular will have no chance to blast the electoral manipulations. For, through the same system, it has managed to come to power in Keralam.