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Poaching has become a big game for BJP

By Brij Bhardwaj. Dated: 11/18/2019 3:25:47 PM

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The BJP leadership has decided not to make any major concession to allies as its own position has improved and the need to bring regional parties on board is not necessary. The offer to regional parties is to accept the position of being at best number two with BJP playing a major role. In the past its allies ruled the states with support of BJP. Now the position has been reversed.
The result is its old allies like Shiv Sena and Akali Dal who stood with BJP for decades are having second thoughts. While Shiv Sena has reached breaking point, Akali Dal is suggesting that BJP should listen more to allies and try to be generous in dealing with them. The Bihar state has not noticed any major threat to coalition of Janata Dal and BJP, but minor irritations are growing. Even in North East where regional parties change allies with changes at Center there is some amount of uneasiness.
The reason is that BJP finds that it is much easier to poach members from opposition camp after elections than to go for pre-poll alliance. The latest example of it was Karnataka where members belonging to opposition camp that is Congress and others was managed by taking them to Mumbai and keeping them under check before they were able to bring down the Government which was formed in alliance regional party. Same exercise was undertaken in Goa.
As such the story going around is if in the first exercise of poaching fails to get enough members on BJP side, they can poach elected members to come to power. The joke going around is looking at the number of Congress men who have joined BJP before or afterwards is so large that very soon BJP will start looking like an image of Congress. In this process the Anti-defection law has become defunct. The latest judgement in case of Karnataka MLAs who were disqualified and not allowed to fight by-elections on vacant seats till next poll will make the task of BJP poaching them easier.
The story going around is that in case of Karnataka the cash incentive for defecting members had touched crores. But in Maharashtra figure will be much higher. Despite the current situation the state needs immediate action to check farmers suicides whose number is growing because of unseasonal rains after drought. Afterall a rich state like Maharashtra is virtually considered as an ATM by political parties.
As it is there is no doubt that BJP is flush with funds having been a recipient of cash donations by corporates officially and under the table as donors names are not disclosed. While Indian economy may be under stress with growth rate falling, unemployment rising, industrial production declining , no fresh investments being made. The recent steps taken by the Finance Ministry helped few, but there is worry because of growing non-performance assets. This is not the first time that Indian banks are showing enormous negative growth.
If the current trend continues we will find inflation rising, state debt growing targets of keeping deficit under check no more working. One time gain through Reserve Bank dividend may help in current year, but can not be a regular solution. The real tragedy is that money has become a major component for winning elections. Let us hope at some stage Election Commission and judiciary will be able to check politics of Aya Ram and Gaya Ram. Starting with Haryana it has now spread to South and West. The only region left out is East so far.
Anyone looking for party which gives equal attention to means as given to ends as suggested by father of nation or adopt any methods to achieve the goals as is happening at present will be disappointed. Many laws can be enacted, but difference will take place only if men of integrity join politics and voters support them.
(Brij Bhardwaj is a veteran journalist and commentator)
—[IFS]