'The boy has remained so simple. Still wearing that
sweater and light pants. He doesn't even have a
decent pair of shoes! So much like one of us! How
can we not give him another chance?'
'And what is Modi Sir doing? He changes clothes three
times a day and wears designer clothes. He isn't the
son of a simple chaiwallah we voted for.'
Sudhir Bisht hears reasons for the BJP debacle on the
Delhi Metro.
T he results of the Delhi state elections are pouring
in and it is certain that Arvind Kejriwal, the Fallen Hero
of not so long ago, has risen again.
And the mighty BJP has lost its plot at the election
that may look least important numerically, but could be
the most significant in terms of reversing its winning
streak.
The exit polls had already predicted that the BJP was
losing it in Delhi, but we all know that these exit polls
can go haywire too, given the small sample size as
compared to the sets of population(s) these exit poll
surveys cover. So I decided to check it out myself.
You can call it a columnist's validation of the exit poll
results in a rather crude manner. I spent the 7th and
the 8th travelling on several Metro trains, talking to as
many different people as I could talk to.
One thing was clear in my head at the end of my little
exercise and that was that the exit polls were spot on.
The results have validated the same hypothesis.
An overwhelming majority of my respondents told me
that the BJP would lose these elections. Now that the
results are almost declared, I reproduce the reasons
put forth by the common man of Delhi on why the BJP
lost.
Where were the Vijay Goels, the Vijendra Guptas and
Vijay Kumar Malhotras of the BJP in this election?
Do you recall the Modi rallies in Delhi during the
parliamentary elections? Well if your memory is frail,
let me remind you that Modi declared that he had
Three Vijays (Victories) in Delhi: Vijay Goel, Vijendra
Gupta and Vijay Kumar Malhotra in the Delhi BJP! Not
to forget that Vijay Jolly too was one of the most
vociferous campaigners in 2014.
Did you hear these names in 2015?
The 3 Vijays along with Harsh Vardhan are the four
top BJP leaders in Delhi.
They were all upset at being upstaged, with Kiran Bedi
being parachuted from nowhere and made the CM
candidate.
These four stalwarts command huge respect among
the BJP's Delhi cadres which quite dislikes the
complete takeover of the party machinery by the
Gujarati twosome.
The BJP's rank and file didn't work to win these
elections. Plain and simple.
Kiran Bedi was the WRONG choice to start with
If there was one man who could be compared with
Arvind Kejriwal in terms of probity in public life, it was
Dr Harsh Vardhan.
One young fellow traveler had some very searching
questions to ask 'his' party. He asked, "Why was Dr
Harsh Vardhan not named the chief ministerial
candidate? Why was he shifted from the health
ministry to whichever ministry he heads now?"
The BJP's rank and file doesn't like Kiran Bedi.
Another fellow traveler on the Yellow line asked, "What
has Kiran Bedi achieved till now in public life? Just a
reputation of being a confrontationist tough cop! How
are her achievements greater than that of Dr Harsh
Vardhan, the man who eradicated polio?"
How is the BJP different from the Congress?
Another middle-aged fellow traveler took out the
Hindustan Times and showed me two half and two
quarter page advertisements of the Modi government's
print propaganda. Each advert had a prominent picture
of our PM, Narendra Modi!
He asked me, "Didn't the PM make explicit remarks
about his aversion for his picture being included in the
advertisements? Was he serious? If yes, then why is it
that his mug shot is splattered all over the dailies?"
A businessman (I learnt later that he had definite right-
wing leanings) said, "Sudhir bhai , this government is no
different than the Congress government. MGNREGA,
the useless dole-giving scheme, is in full flow. The
much maligned UID Aadhar card programme is intact."
"The Planning Commission has a new name and it is
some NITI Aayaog. The relationship between India and
the USA, between India and China and between India
and Pakistan remains the same. The ministry of
corporate affairs and the registrar of companies still
remain their dormant selves," he continued.
"What has changed? Really nothing."
It is all about Arvind's humility versus the BJP's
ostentatious behaviour
The thin looking man who politely offered his seat to
an elderly gentleman told me, "Sudhir ji . Look at Arvind
Kejriwal. He is apologising for the mistakes he
committed last time. How many leaders have the guts
to apologise? He says he is sorry and asks for
forgiveness. And it isn't artificial!"
"How can we not trust a man who seeks forgiveness?
The boy has remained so simple. Still wearing that
middle size, red-coloured, sweater and the light pants.
He doesn't even have a decent pair of shoes! He
wears thick socks and then over that he wears 200
rupee sandals. So much like one of us! How can we
not give him another chance?"
"And what is Modi Sir doing? He changes clothes three
times a day ( I swear he said it) and wears designer
clothes. He isn't the son of a simple chaiwallah we
voted for. He has become a style icon!"
Congress-mukht Bharat didn't mean replacing a
Gandhi by a Modi
The most telling comment came from a very young girl
who is in her first year of college. I learnt that she is
studying sociology at Delhi university.
"Uncle ji , if the BJP wins, the BJP wallah s would say
that people have reposed their trust and their faith in
the prime minister. But if the BJP loses, the chamchas
will attribute it to the local leadership!"
"Is it not how Congressmen have shielded their
Rahulbaba ? So how is the BJP culture different from
the Congress culture?"
This defeat could be the best thing that could happen
to the BJP. It could stop its transformation into
another Congress-like party.
I also hope it will tell BJP think-tanks to take the
people more seriously. Only empty promises of 'so
many smart cities' and 'so much of black money
repatriation' won't work. And just by being a buddy of
Obama (or 'Barack') won't help.
It is time to deliver on tall promises.
It is time to dismantle the PR juggernaut and the
publicity blitzkrieg.
It is Delivery time, Mr Prime Minister.
sweater and light pants. He doesn't even have a
decent pair of shoes! So much like one of us! How
can we not give him another chance?'
'And what is Modi Sir doing? He changes clothes three
times a day and wears designer clothes. He isn't the
son of a simple chaiwallah we voted for.'
Sudhir Bisht hears reasons for the BJP debacle on the
Delhi Metro.
T he results of the Delhi state elections are pouring
in and it is certain that Arvind Kejriwal, the Fallen Hero
of not so long ago, has risen again.
And the mighty BJP has lost its plot at the election
that may look least important numerically, but could be
the most significant in terms of reversing its winning
streak.
The exit polls had already predicted that the BJP was
losing it in Delhi, but we all know that these exit polls
can go haywire too, given the small sample size as
compared to the sets of population(s) these exit poll
surveys cover. So I decided to check it out myself.
You can call it a columnist's validation of the exit poll
results in a rather crude manner. I spent the 7th and
the 8th travelling on several Metro trains, talking to as
many different people as I could talk to.
One thing was clear in my head at the end of my little
exercise and that was that the exit polls were spot on.
The results have validated the same hypothesis.
An overwhelming majority of my respondents told me
that the BJP would lose these elections. Now that the
results are almost declared, I reproduce the reasons
put forth by the common man of Delhi on why the BJP
lost.
Where were the Vijay Goels, the Vijendra Guptas and
Vijay Kumar Malhotras of the BJP in this election?
Do you recall the Modi rallies in Delhi during the
parliamentary elections? Well if your memory is frail,
let me remind you that Modi declared that he had
Three Vijays (Victories) in Delhi: Vijay Goel, Vijendra
Gupta and Vijay Kumar Malhotra in the Delhi BJP! Not
to forget that Vijay Jolly too was one of the most
vociferous campaigners in 2014.
Did you hear these names in 2015?
The 3 Vijays along with Harsh Vardhan are the four
top BJP leaders in Delhi.
They were all upset at being upstaged, with Kiran Bedi
being parachuted from nowhere and made the CM
candidate.
These four stalwarts command huge respect among
the BJP's Delhi cadres which quite dislikes the
complete takeover of the party machinery by the
Gujarati twosome.
The BJP's rank and file didn't work to win these
elections. Plain and simple.
Kiran Bedi was the WRONG choice to start with
If there was one man who could be compared with
Arvind Kejriwal in terms of probity in public life, it was
Dr Harsh Vardhan.
One young fellow traveler had some very searching
questions to ask 'his' party. He asked, "Why was Dr
Harsh Vardhan not named the chief ministerial
candidate? Why was he shifted from the health
ministry to whichever ministry he heads now?"
The BJP's rank and file doesn't like Kiran Bedi.
Another fellow traveler on the Yellow line asked, "What
has Kiran Bedi achieved till now in public life? Just a
reputation of being a confrontationist tough cop! How
are her achievements greater than that of Dr Harsh
Vardhan, the man who eradicated polio?"
How is the BJP different from the Congress?
Another middle-aged fellow traveler took out the
Hindustan Times and showed me two half and two
quarter page advertisements of the Modi government's
print propaganda. Each advert had a prominent picture
of our PM, Narendra Modi!
He asked me, "Didn't the PM make explicit remarks
about his aversion for his picture being included in the
advertisements? Was he serious? If yes, then why is it
that his mug shot is splattered all over the dailies?"
A businessman (I learnt later that he had definite right-
wing leanings) said, "Sudhir bhai , this government is no
different than the Congress government. MGNREGA,
the useless dole-giving scheme, is in full flow. The
much maligned UID Aadhar card programme is intact."
"The Planning Commission has a new name and it is
some NITI Aayaog. The relationship between India and
the USA, between India and China and between India
and Pakistan remains the same. The ministry of
corporate affairs and the registrar of companies still
remain their dormant selves," he continued.
"What has changed? Really nothing."
It is all about Arvind's humility versus the BJP's
ostentatious behaviour
The thin looking man who politely offered his seat to
an elderly gentleman told me, "Sudhir ji . Look at Arvind
Kejriwal. He is apologising for the mistakes he
committed last time. How many leaders have the guts
to apologise? He says he is sorry and asks for
forgiveness. And it isn't artificial!"
"How can we not trust a man who seeks forgiveness?
The boy has remained so simple. Still wearing that
middle size, red-coloured, sweater and the light pants.
He doesn't even have a decent pair of shoes! He
wears thick socks and then over that he wears 200
rupee sandals. So much like one of us! How can we
not give him another chance?"
"And what is Modi Sir doing? He changes clothes three
times a day ( I swear he said it) and wears designer
clothes. He isn't the son of a simple chaiwallah we
voted for. He has become a style icon!"
Congress-mukht Bharat didn't mean replacing a
Gandhi by a Modi
The most telling comment came from a very young girl
who is in her first year of college. I learnt that she is
studying sociology at Delhi university.
"Uncle ji , if the BJP wins, the BJP wallah s would say
that people have reposed their trust and their faith in
the prime minister. But if the BJP loses, the chamchas
will attribute it to the local leadership!"
"Is it not how Congressmen have shielded their
Rahulbaba ? So how is the BJP culture different from
the Congress culture?"
This defeat could be the best thing that could happen
to the BJP. It could stop its transformation into
another Congress-like party.
I also hope it will tell BJP think-tanks to take the
people more seriously. Only empty promises of 'so
many smart cities' and 'so much of black money
repatriation' won't work. And just by being a buddy of
Obama (or 'Barack') won't help.
It is time to deliver on tall promises.
It is time to dismantle the PR juggernaut and the
publicity blitzkrieg.
It is Delivery time, Mr Prime Minister.
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