Some identify BJP as a party of business men particularly traders. And perhaps that was the reason that it opposed FDI in multi-brand retails that I and many like me didn’t like or agree. Most of the country men like or should like BJP as an alternative to Congress Party that survives as because there is some Nehru descendent owns it. Many like me don’t like the sycophancy and the family rule of Congress Party, though it has still many good leaders.
BJP or for that matter NDA even with its allying political parties such as opportunistic JD=U, fascist Shiv Sena and community-linked SGP can never win a majority at centre. With the major minority community that considers it as anti- Muslim not voting for it, BJP will always be having a big handicap. India has many constituencies where the percentage of minority voters is significant with overall population of around 20%. For example, Muslims are expected to influence the outcome of the UP results in at least 130 constituencies where their numbers are large. Keeping this in mind, the BSP has fielded 84 Muslim candidates, the Samajwadi Party 75 and the Congress 61.
The way BJP can bring the minority on its side requires it to innovate some acceptable programmes and projects that can benefit the majority of this minority.
I was really impressed with a report coming out of Bihar in Telegraph: “Jan. 14: The BJP today announced the launch of Shiksha Abhiyan, a programme under which party leaders and workers from the state to block-levels would convince people to send their wards to school.”This may prove a wonderful move. Amartya Sen says, “Focus on health and education allowing growth to take care of itself.” I wish to make it further simpler and say, “Focus on just education and you will win the people.”
I wish BJP pulls out all its resources and goes to every family in rural and urban areas and approaches the parents without any bias. It can always show more focus on the minority and deprived families without telling that. Its own members or volunteers drawn from all the institutions of priviledged class such as one done in Times Group Teach India programme must convince the parents about the need of education and sell the dreams about the education that can catapult the family ahead and make them enjoy a better quality of living.
If BJP can’t bring the minority and dalit through embracing them in right manner, it must forget to lead or govern the nation that it wishes. However, the party will have to be cautious while taking up this massive education and skilling drive. The party must be sincere and move fast so that the project can distinguish it from the other parties that are still depending on money and manpower. It must avoid any conflict and invite all parties to join it in its drive. It must not do anything that can raise the controversy of its move as saffronisation of education and skilling.
The younger India will love to work for BJP if its leadership is innovative and inspirational and if it agrees to incorporate democratic means for all the decisions such as the selection of candidates for the elections at various levels. It will have to get itself engaged in the social work at grassroots level that helps even an ordinary person to get all his rights and benefits provided by the government and other agencies.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this report are purely those of the author and may not in any circumstances be regarded as the official view of BiharTimes.
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