A ‘Clean Sweep’ would be an understatement.
By winning 282 seats out of 543, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) which projected Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial Candidate, became the first political party in India, in 30 years, to get the required majority of 272 to form the new government.
It had only been coalitions and alliances for the last three decades. And the tenuous nature of coalitions had made good governance extremely difficult.
The leading party in the coalition/alliance generally stoops to conquer. And conquer it does but at terrible cost to the nation.
On one hand, for lead-parties, the appeasement of the allies becomes its top priority. On the other, the allies’ tendency to threaten the majority, into conceding to their requests becomes the allies’ top propriety.
Now, UPA (United Progressive Alliance) which had ruled for two terms, of a total of ten years – with Congress as the leading party in it – has finally, fatally, fallen to the ballot shot. Congress secured only 44 seats now, in it its worst ever defeat.
Contrast it with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The alliance won 336, now, in its best ever victory.
So, what is the lesson learnt by Congress, from Indian elections 2014? It is this: By appeasing allies, condoning corruption, promoting family, and avoiding action on serious issues, one cannot hope to win elections in today’s well-informed and youthful world.
Anti-incumbency factor aside, what is truth now is that Narendra Modi has led his party to a thumping majority. And later this week he will be sworn in as India’s 14th Prime Minister – the first PM to be born after Indian independence,
.
I recall a memorable meeting with Modi at his residence last year. It was when he gave a reception to six people from around the world who received the Vision India Foundation Award in Ahmedabad in Gujarat State.
After spending two hours with him, I immediately told my friends, ‘here is the future Prime Minister of India’.
Whether it was my foresight, or simple gut feeling, I was somehow confident he will make it. And he did.
Though the average person on the street still feels Narendra Modi is guilty of not handling the Godhra Muslim killings in the correct manner, the truth now is that majority of the people have chosen him to be the next Prime Minister. And the majority voice must be accepted.
All said and done, these Indian elections are indeed a celebration of democracy. The efficient manner in which elections were conducted for this huge nation, the smooth way the needful transition is occurring, and the warm graciousness with which the ones who have lost are accepting their losses, shows that India has matured.
Talking to Modi, I have realized his vision for the development of the country and changed my perception of the man who had had a different image. I was especially happy to hear him say after his landslide victory, ” This is a clear mandate for change. But with clear mandate comes great responsibility.”
“The time for divisive politics is over. This is the time for uniting the nation. I will not betray the trust the country has put in me.”
At Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January 2014, India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said “Good days are going to come”.
Modi who spoke afterwards jokingly said, “I agree with the Prime Minister. Good days are ahead for India. I don’t want to say anything more. We should wait for four to six months. But good days are coming,” the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate was obviously, indicating that his party would form the next government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls.
As his jibe at the outgoing Prime Minister suggests, India must hope, that “good days are coming’.