No doubt, the BJP has every reason to rejoice over its impressive electoral show in Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir (Dec.24). While its emphatic victory in Jharkhand can be attributed to its strategy of fighting the polls on the plank of political stability and development, its performance in J&K had its roots in its sustained campaign focussed on all-round development. It may not have registered its presence in the Kashmir Valley, but none can deny the fact that the BJP has emerged as a force to reckon with. The string of victories for the BJP over successive Assembly polls shows that voters still express faith in its abilities.
M. Jeyaram,Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
As expected, the BJP has come out with flying colours in Jharkhand while giving the regional parties a run for their money in Jammu & Kashmir. It has been an incredible year for the BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah deserve full marks for being the torch-bearers of these victories. The party’s focus now should be on Delhi and Bihar. It is also time the party starts fine-tuning its working and delivering on its poll promises.
N.J. Ravi Chander,Bengaluru
The elections prove that the Modi ‘magic’ still lingers. The results in Kashmir may be along religious lines but the party should take comfort in the fact that it can have a major say in matters. Thus, the inevitable slide of the Congress party continues.
D.B.N. Murthy,Bengaluru
The results show that the BJP has failed to match its performance in the Lok Sabha election. Narendra Modi’s rhetoric has slowly but steadily lost its charm as far as the aam aadmi is concerned. It is a fact that it failed to strike a chord in the Kashmir Valley despite the stand on Article 370 and the promise of good governance.
At the same time, for the Congress the twin debacles will only deepen its misery and raise questions about the leadership prospects of Rahul Gandhi.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,Faridabad
The report, “Congress holds out the olive branch to PDP” (Dec.24), shows that the grand old party has no qualms or political morality, leave alone sagacity. It wants to stonewall attempts by the BJP to form a government in J&K and to enjoy power as a junior partner, even though the electorate has rejected it lock, stock and barrel. A long stint in the Opposition benches will do it a world of good. Is it not time the leaders of the mainline party introspect on why they have faced a drubbing in election after election?
H.P. Murali,Bengaluru
