-TMC Desk
Ahmedabad (Gujarat), 09 Deceber, 2017 The delay in the release of election manifesto by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its virtual silence on ‘Gujarat Model’ of development have exposed the nervousness on the part of the saffron party.
The manifesto was released on Friday just on the eve of the first phase of poll and that too after the opposition Congress and media highlighted it. It appeared to be hurriedly prepared document as the fear of unfulfilled promises haunts the party.
The party appears to be more pre-occupied with the efforts to retain the traditional vote bank, which it fears may drift towards the Congress.
Similar is the story of ‘Gujarat Model’ as, it is being claimed, instead of developing the state brought about stagnation and economic slow-down.
As the ‘Gujarat Model’ is being contested in the state of its origin the party deemed it fit just to ignore it. But it remains to be seen as to whether the people of the state have really forgotten the party’s poll promises and the claims made in the past about ‘Gujarat Model’.
It is in the absence of any discussion or debate over development that emotive issues, mud-slinging and abusive languages come up during the campaign.
By overblowing Mani Shankar Aiyar’s ‘neech aadmi’ remarks the BJP has shown its desperation.
It is not that the Congress has not indulged in such exercise, but the fact is that the BJP has outwitted it at least on this count.
Therefore, BJP which after 2014 General Election has consistently been dictating the term is pushed to the wall by Congress in its bastion.
Victory and defeat is another thing, but the Congress has certainly forced the otherwise powerful BJP to change the election narrative.
However, the Congress has at least won a moral victory as it has suspended Aiyar, who in all practical purposes was already sidelined by the leadership. But the BJP has not done so and its counter-attack was no less abusive.
