Ganapathi Bhat
Indian politics is a strange game of permutations and combinations where the winner takes it all. One need not look beyond day-to-day politics to exactly decipher the phrase “nothing succeeds like success”. The funny thing about politics in India is its unpredictability and nothing happens by accident here. Take the example of the Narendra Modi government. Till the other day, the NDA was sitting pretty, and all set to win a second term in 2019. In a matter of few days, everything seems to have fallen apart for the BJP with a series of setbacks. The Nirav Modi escapade really set the tone for the opposition parties to sow the seeds of suspicion in the people’s minds. Then, there was the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) episode to provide fodder for the usually reticent N Chandrababu Naidu to turn aggressive. Next, the SP-BSP engineering stunning wins in Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha by polls acted as a catalyst for the opposition parties to mull deep on the “third front”. When difficulties come they come knocking.
The CBSE paper leak, Dalit outrage and the fake news topsy-turvy have further pushed the Modi government to a state of despair. In all the three instances, the Centre’s communication skills, and headlines management seem to have deserted it. Admittedly, the government had no role in the CBSE paper leaks. But the sensitive issue could have been handled more empathetically. Quick apology, forthwith suspensions and clarity on re-examinations would have helped salvage some reputation. The Dalit agitation was allowed to snowball by the government by not keeping the stakeholders engaged about its plans.
The “fake news” roll back has shown the government in poor light. It is hard to believe that the Prime Minister had no prior knowledge of the I&B minister’s decision on fake news. Would Smriti Irani have dared to do the unthinkable— keeping her powerful PM in the dark over a contentious subject? Now, only a Karnataka win–odds are staked heavily against the BJP—- can refuel the BJP juggernaut.
