Year-Ender 2024 --- Congress, BJP ..... back to square one !! Verdicts in Haryana and Maharashtra made things clearer that Modi is here to stay and even the UCC and One Nation, One Election were on the table !

If beginning of the year was on a confident note for the BJP, the end of 2024 was an exuberant spirit in the saffron camp.

The setback came in June when the Lok Sabha polls results poured in. Even as Narendra Modi scored an hat-trick and returned to power for a record third term; the fact that number of seats came down left the Lotus party wondering - did something go wrong.

In contrast, the Congress was unsure of a big fight in January 2024 when Modi had pushed (or led) the Indian subcontinent to the Hindutva debate. Thanks to the historic Jan 22 (2024) when the grand Ram temple was inaugurated at Ayodhya.

December 6th, 1992 and the demolition chapter was nearly forgotten. By June of course, the Congress was in exuberant spirit. Its number of seats jumped to 99 and even as Modi was being sworn in as the Prime Minister -- equaling the record of Rahul Gandhi's great grand father - the Congress dynasty's 'crown prince' thought he had India (both the nation and the Opposition INDI alliance) under his grip.  

Over confidence comes to Congress leaders as a natural phenomenon and soo the arrogance was once again taught lessons in Haryana and then in Maharashtra. 

In both the states while Team Modi slogged hard to do all the corrections (of Lok Sabha polls setback), the Congress leaders were in merrymaking spirit celebrating Jalebis and posed questions to one another -- who will be next chief minister(s) in these states !!

Rahul Gandhi in Nagaland 

But the results in both the states came a shocker and the winner was Amit Shah -- they say. 

By the time the winter session of Parliament commenced, the verdicts from these two states made things clearer that Narendra Modi is here to stay ...

and the Hindutva agenda including the much talked about One Nation. One Election and even the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) were on the table !

Back to June 2024 - "I congratulate Rahul Gandhi on becoming the Leader of Opposition," BJP MP Anurag Thakur said adding, "He (Rahul) was enjoying power for the last several years without any responsibility".  

This actually lays down the foundation of the polity the BJP believes and the Congress stands clueless. 

Joyful about the Lok Sabha polls outcome, the 'dynasty' has strengthened its grip in Congress politics. As a result there are three from the same family - mother and her two children (Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi) in Parliament. 

For the 'helpless' looking dynasty-depended party and their leaders - for everyone Priyanka Gandhi's debut speech in Lok Sabha was "one step" for reviving Congress party. 

Sadly, the day she spoke - events in Hyderabad (capital of Congress-ruled Telangana) stole the limelight !  But sycophancy is a virtue and hence every Congress men and women said - Priyanka made a fantastic speech. 

 

Narendra Modi, India's much popular PM, countered all that. 

His 11-point proposal for Parliamentary Resolution on the Constitution 75 years debate was like the proverbial applying of 'spice/masala' on the injuries of  Rahul Gandhi and his entire ecosystem. 

Old blog (You may refer)

The Prime Minister's sixth resolution called for an end to dynastic politics and promoting meritocracy over nepotism in governance. 

Here Modi's detractors, political rivals and the Sickular gang's Jugadu club, those from 'fish fry' journalism schools and so on may not 

... even a good cover !!  

Late Rajiv Gandhi with veteran Naga leader Hokishe Sema

Modi's 11-point charter of resolutions towards the end of his 110-minute speech also included a pledge for having zero tolerance to corruption .

(This is biggest weakness of the Congress era and the last UPA regime was voted out by people of India largely due to corruption charges -- actually a series of charges against the Congress leaders and the then Manmohan Singh government.

It's a truism that the Rajiv Govt in 1989 and the Manmohan-Sonia regime in 2014 lost power owing largely on the issue of corruption.

The Congress actually did not have a sample of political reform to bank on. 

In 2024 - it depended on faulty ideas -

Caste Census -- (while in UP, it could have helped, it did not work in Maharashtra)

Dynasty -- It presumes party revival is happening because Priyanka Gandhi is also an MP now.  

It also blames EVM and has yet again gone to the Supreme Court against Election Commission and about a rule change by the Modi government.

What Congress should do is look inside and revive its organisation -- which is as sick as it was in 2014. 

But the BJP too has challenges to face in 2025.  

Lalu Prasad might have vanished from Bihar Samosa but not the caste or the politics around caste. It's a tough battle ahead for the lotus party next year. 

Secondly, the strategists have to work harder to know why the BJP needs a Fadnavis in Bihar ?  

:::: As of now advantage Nitish Kumar - 'nine-time Chief Minister' who enjoys goodwill !!

ends