Bihar:

Nov 09/2015 : The Bihar election results have opened many a new page in the Indian political dictionary. The ‘trolls’ and ’bhakts’ of Damodardass and BJP would certainly be demoralized and disheartened after the events of 8 November 2015. A man who would have enjoyed these happenings the most could have been Lal Kishen Advani, whose birthday was also 8 November. The modus operandi of the BJP gang does not seem to have worked smoothly. Assuming that the general election of 2014 was an indication of acceptance of mischievous, hateful and pisive politics, was a huge mistake of the BJP leadership. The situation pre 2014 was very clearly a complete distaste and rejection of the Sonia-Rahul Congress led UPA. Damodardass just happened to be heading the only other political outfit which could contest the required number of Lok Sabha seats. Modi’s victory happened only where there was no other choice. For instance, Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala differed.

So, it was not Damodardass who had come out victorious in Bihar in 2014. This also implies that all the talk about support being manipulated through social media activism or publicity through electronic media can also be trashed. BJP did enjoy sufficient presence and support in Bihar from these two platforms this time also yet results turned out very different. It would not be acceptable if the BJP claims that the 15% (2 crore) Moslems  voters of Bihar swung the deal. Assuming all of them voted for Nitish-Laloo, the anti-BJP Grand Alliance (GA) could never have got so many seats had it not been an overwhelming support by the Hindoos. This, in turn, clearly outlines the current Hindoo outlook towards life and times. Social pisions along religious lines are not acceptable is what the Hindoo voter of Bihar has very clearly spelt out. It is also interesting to note that the number of seats bagged by GA indicate a clear transition away from caste based preferences. Had the upper caste Hindoo turned out and voted for the BJP, as was expected, the numbers would have been different.

This, on the sideline, should also provoke the Moslems of India to reconsider and redraw their attitudes towards their own religion. To suppress communal forces, the Hindoos have taken the first and a very momentous step. It is now for the minorities to match up and prove that they are Indians first and Moslems or Christians later. Damodardass, by attending so very many rallies has brought himself to state level leadership. This will mean that in the coming days Nitish Kumar could be pitted against Modi for Prime Ministership.

Damodardass and BJP lost Bihar. Congress cannot claim to have won there. India’s political future seems to have reverted to regional politics. Therein lies the key to a well preserved democracy.