Is 2014 General Election becoming the reverse of 1971 Election?
Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party claimed that they came into existence to fight corruption. The strategy was to image themselves as Anti-corruption crusaders and occupy the space of a change agent. The anti-corruption tag could earn them some advantage against the Congress but not exactly against the BJP. The party has now changed track. In the past few weeks the issues of corruption, real or fictional, have taken a back seat .In any case AAP’s issues were never the 2G spectrum allocation or the Coal Block allotments. They concentrated on retail corruption issues in day to day life. The AAP has switched gear from corruption to an Anti-Modi emphasis. The AAP leaders now defy the Economic reality to argue that Gujarat has not progressed. The farcical drama being enacted with regard to contesting against Modi at Varanasi is being done in order to ensure that AAP can at least partly occupy the Anti-Modi space.
The Congress and Rahul Gandhi hardly had an electoral strategy. Abstract slogans and theoretical concepts can not be easily translated into a politically comprehensible logic. Having failed to strike a cord, they have also gone back to the Anti-Modi theme of 2002 Gujarat Riots. The 2002 Riots were investigated by the Gujarat Police, an SIT of Police officials and finally a Supreme Court appointed SIT. An Amicus curiae expressed his opinion on the SIT report. The Supreme Court monitored the investigation. Finally, a court accepted the SIT Report. We now have Rahul Gandhi, with not even a nodding acquaintance with law, who opines that the case was not adequately investigated. What was his intention in doing so? Since other political cards are failing Anti-Modi position is the only alternative left.
Narendra Modi is in the meanwhile allowing these two gentlemen compete for the Anti Modi space. He continues to address mammoth rallies almost by each day. His primary agenda continues to be India and its Development.