Shine's back for BJP, UPA feels the chill
The outcome of the elections on Sunday saw principal political formations swapping places. The Bharatiya Janata Party�s improved performance in Bihar and its success in dodging anti-incumbency in Jharkhand will help the party ram in its political point that the Congress� claims to being the preeminent political formation is way off the mark. For the BJP, the first two months of this year � and much of the year gone by � were particularly bad. The slide in its career graph, which commenced with the general election held in April-May, just refused to be contained, and its dismal show in the Maharashtra Assembly polls held later in the year merely confirmed the trend. The mishandling of the Uma Bharti episode and the ouster of the Manohar Parrikar government in Goa also brought to the fore doubts about the BJP�s political reflexes. The nimbleness and dexterity normally associated with the party under such circumstances were missing altogether. The turnaround in the party�s fortunes in Jharkhand and Bihar, states in which the BJP was mauled in the Lok Sabha elections held nine months ago, has brought the smiles back on the faces of BJP leaders. The outcome shows how a combination of planning and right political moves can change fortunes. In stitching seat adjustments together, the saffron party showed signs of shedding its arrogance and going purely by the ground realities in the two states. It realised that it had to play the role of the junior partner in the post-bifurcation Bihar as it settled for just 105 seats, leaving its alliance partner, the JD (U), with the lion�s share of 138. The formula was reversed in Jharkhand, where the BJP, in keeping with its influence in the state, walked away with a majority of the seats. The JD (U) was content playing the role of an younger brother here. The BJP made another smart move in Bihar by projecting former railway minister Nitish Kumar, a Kurmi by caste, as the NDA�s chief ministerial candidate in the middle of the campaign. While he was found to be more amenable to the upper castes and the non-Yadav OBCs, it was also calculated that the Muslims would not have the same kind of hostility towards the NDA, now that the possibility of a �saffronite� holding the top job had receded. In Jharkhand, the warring factions were given a stern message: Unite or perish. Arch rivals Arjun Singh Munda and Babulal Marandi were forced to bury their differences, if only for the time being. Armed with the successes in the latest round of Assembly polls, the BJP can now be expected to be more aggressive on issues. It realises that the NDA, on its own, cannot pull down the UPA government, but it can be expected to play on the differences within the ruling coalition. (Economic Times) - Forwarded by www.goa-world.com ===== ___ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. Konkani Drama "NOORA" by Micheal D'Silva under the auspices of United Friends Club-Kuwait on 8th April 2005. For details, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Pick of the week: http://www.colaco.net/1/EthelSting.htm http://www.geocities.com/mangaloreancatholic/woc/ Goa's finest websites: www.colaco.net www.supergoa.com www.goa-world.com Celebrate in Style.... Greet Someone You Love Back Home in Goa with Fresh Flowers Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.goa-world.com/expressions/ Konkani weekly V-Ixtt now online at www.v-ixtt.com Konkani monthly magazine now online at www.gulabonline.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give the gift of life to a sick child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/lGEjbB/6WnJAA/E2hLAA/0FHolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> http://www.goa-world.com http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Live Konkani Music http://www.mahableshwar.com/ Addresses: Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED] URL to this page: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulf-goans/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
