The ‘TsuNamo’ dashed on the Indian political shores in the 2014 general elections. Barring a few hiccups hither and thither, the Modi-Shah duo has been substantially impregnable. The journey of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 2014 saw many never-seen-before episodes, phenomena, decisions and strategies. Of these, the alliances forged by the BJP could be a point of discussion.
In its quest for a ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’, the BJP seems to stoop to any possible level. The desperation depicted by the party to stitch together opportunistic coalitions (e.g. Goa, Meghalaya, Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir) is a testimony of its power-mongering attitude. Although, “In politics, there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, but permanent interests” (quote by Patience Johnson), there exists a code of conduct, morals, and a line of ethical principles in politics as well, which should not be crossed over.
The ill-treatment meted out by the BJP to its regional allies and the betrayal of the promises made, amount to the greatest possible display of the ‘use and throw’ policy. From being a ‘party with a difference’ once upon a time to getting reduced to a profit-making Pvt. Ltd. company, the BJP acts too beguiled in times of need but is equally haughty once its objectives are acquired.
The BJP And Its Treatment Of Allies
Below is a list of some of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners and their relationships with the BJP since 2014:
1. Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (Jammu and Kashmir)
In the backdrop of the fractured mandate in the assembly elections, the most ‘unnatural alliance’ was formed between the BJP and the then Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led JKPDP in 2015. After the demise of Sayeed, the North Pole-South Pole nexus was further strained under Mehbooba Mufti, with the ground situation in Kashmir deteriorating in the four years the coalition took charge. With the Lok Sabha polls looming around in less than a year, the saffron party dumped its partner in June 2018 to go ahead with its usual jumla of abrogating Article 370 and resolving the Kashmir issue.
2. Shiromani Akali Dal (Punjab)
In the run-up to the 2019 state assembly elections in Haryana, the BJP inducted the lone Haryana SAD MLA Balkaur Singh in its fold. The move was condemned as the violation of the dignity of their alliance by the SAD.
3. Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (Bihar)
Bolstered by its alliance with the JD(U), the BJP announced that the Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP would not get to contest more than two Lok Sabha seats in the ensuing 2019 general elections. Disgruntled by the arrogant attitude of the BJP, the RLSP quit NDA ahead of the polls.
4. Janata Dal (United) (Bihar)
After contesting the 2015 assembly elections as a part of the Mahagathbandhan, the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) returned to the NDA fold in 2017. The BJP was more than quick enough to lend support and be a part of the government. After a clean sweep in the 2019 general elections, the JD(U) was offered just one ministerial berth in the Modi ministry. Disappointed, the JD(U) refused to join the union government, stating that there was no need for symbolic representation.
5. Apna Dal (Uttar Pradesh)
The Anupriya Patel-led party was promised a berth in the Modi ministry, but the promise was left unfulfilled.
6. Sikkim Democratic Front (Sikkim)
In August 2019, the BJP poached 10 MLAs of the SDF to its fold.
7. Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (West Bengal)
The GJM was instrumental in the saffron party making inroads in West Bengal by helping it win the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and 2014. However, the resolution of the demand by the GJM for the separate state of Gorkhaland was not even attempted by the BJP.
8. Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party (Goa)
Falling well short of the majority mark, the BJP formed a government in Goa with the support of the MGP and the GFP in 2017 under the leadership of Manohar Parrikar. After the demise of Parrikar in March 2019, the BJP poached the MGP MLAs. After 12 out of 17 Congress MLAs defected to the BJP, the saffron party literally kicked off the GFP. Use and throw at its peak!
9. Shiv Sena (Maharashtra)
The Shiv Sena has been the most discontented allies of the BJP, with the saffron parties sharing a bittersweet relationship for the last five years. The BJP has left no stone unturned to humiliate its ally, with the Sena quashed to play a junior partner in the state. Just one cabinet berth has been allotted to the Shiv Sena in the Modi ministry.
10. The Mahayuti constituents (Maharashtra)
The smaller outfits like the Republican Party of India (A), the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and the Rayat Kranti Sanghatna have been reduced to mere vote bank politics, with them contesting on the BJP symbol in the 2019 assembly elections.
11. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Tamil Nadu)
In an effort to make inroads in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the BJP allied with the AIADMK ahead of the 2019 general elections. The alliance failed miserably, and the AIADMK is nowhere in the reckoning, with no representation in the union government.
The performance of the recently formed BJP-JJP alliance (another opportunistic nexus) in Haryana remains to be seen. Also, more political drama waits to be unfolded ahead of the Bihar assembly elections next year.
With the BJP enjoying a comfortable majority with 303 seats in the Lok Sabha, chances are quite dim that the egotism possessed by it will be discarded any time soon. Times do change, and it’s a dire need for the BJP to follow the coalition dharma. Even the ideological mentor of the party, the RSS, expressed concerns about the attitude of the party, stating that although the present moves would result in boosting the numbers, eventually the growth of the party would be hampered.
The recent verdicts in the Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections should apply some brakes on the otherwise insurmountable BJP with the increased dependency on its allies. ‘Ability to win elections’ should not be the only parameter, and the party needs to retrospect, and self analyse its current style of functioning and get back on track from its present derailment by adhering to the ideologies of the founding fathers of the party. ‘Pride goes before a fall’; the BJP should remember this.