BJP's Rise to Power
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
GUJARAT BJP's Rise to Power Ghanshyam Shah The BJP's victory in the 1995 assembly elections in Gujarat was not due to a temporary wave. The party has slowly built its base among the OBCs, tribals and dalits in the state. Nevertheless, for a majority of the people who voted for the BJP, its 'Hindutva' plank remained a major consideration for extending support to the party. This was particularly true of the urban middle class voters. I the other hand, displayed no will to fight slightly improved its position in the 1985 elections with a political agenda. During the elections despite the sympathy wave for THIS is not for the first time that the last five years most of the party leaders had Rajiv Gandhi. It bagged 11 seats, and 14.6 Congress(l) has lost power in Gujarat. With spent their energy to get political offices and per cent of the votes. The Congress was the support of Kisan Majdoor Lok Paksha other favours. After winning power in routed in the 1990 assembly poll, securing (KMLP), the Janata Morcha (United Front) Madhya Pradesh in 1993 the party bosses only 33 seats in a house of 182 members. formed the government in 1975.' It was the believed that somehow they would come to Its votes declined from 56 per cent in 1985 dissident Congress leader Chimanbhai Patel power again in 1995. They continued to to a mere 31 per cent in 1990, The Janata who, having been expelled from the party bank upon old strategies and calculations. Dal and the BJP, with partial electoral for his "anti-party" activities after his Individually, each party boss hoped to adjustment on some seats against the resignation as the chief minister, had continue in power and fought for. This tooth Congress, secured 70 and 67 seats organised the KMLP. The Janata Morcha and nail within the party against the rival respectively. They jointly formed the won 86 seats and the KMLP 11. Again the factions. Collectively, however, they had government under the leadership of Congress lost power in the 1990 elections. given up the battle. Their cynicism was so Chimanbhai Patel of the Janata Dal. With the support of the BJP, the Janata Dal, intense that many of them said privately that The main mission of Chimanbhai Patel, headed by Chimanbhai Patel, formed the all Congressmen, except of course during his absence from the chief minister's government. Both the non-Congress chief themselves, deserved to be defeated. office for nearly one-and-a-half decades, ministers - Babubhai Patel and Chimanbhai The BJP's impressive victory, with 122 was to come back to power by any means Patel - had Congress lineages. For the first seats out of 182 (42 per cent of the votes) possible. Being a master manipulator he, time the present chief minister does not have in the 1995 assembly, was not due to a along with all but three other Janata Dal a Congress background. The difference temporary wave. The parly has built up its legislators, joined Chandra Shekhar against between the post-1975 and the 1990 elections support structure brick by brick since the was that the Congress after its defeat in 1975 V P Singh as the Gujarat BJP withdrew rejuvenated itself and evolved new strategies 1960s. Its predecessor, the Jan Sangh, became support to his ministry. In order to play with to expand its base among the deprived active in the state in 1951 soon after its birth. regional sentiments, he toyed with the idea communities. This did not happen after the RSS leaders from Saurashtra, mainly of forming a regional party. He formed the 1990 defeat. Moreover, the Janata Morcha brahmins and rajputs, were the prime movers Janata Dal (Gujarat) to seek the support of and the Janata Dal were loose and ad hoc of the party. Though the party fielded the Congress. Rajiv Gandhi, whose main parties, whereas the Bharatiya Janata Party candidates in the first three elections, it aim was to topple the VP Singh government, (BJP) is well organised and has evolved opened its account in the state assembly in directed the Gujarat Congress to extend strategics to make inroads into the Congress 1967 by getting one seat. In the midst of unconditional support to Patel, but he did support base. Indira Gandhi's 'garibi hatao' hurricane, the not take the state Congress leaders into For the first time in 1995, it was a straight party improved its position in the 1972 confidence. They faced an odd situation as fight between the Congress and the BJP. In elections by capturing three seats. Its front they had all along fought against Patel and the past the BJP was either a coalition partner organisation, the AkhiI Bharatiya Vidhyarthi or had scat adjustments with the non- Parishad (AVBP), played an important role Congress parties. In this election the BJP in the 1974 Navnirman students' movement. contested for all the 182 seats. The party was a partner in the Janata Morcha By securing 51 per cent of the votes polled which captured power in the 1975 elections; and 20 out of the 25 seats in the 1991 Lok it secured 18 seats, and two of its important Sabha elections, the BJP had demonstrated members, including the present chief its strength.2 It was almost a foregone minister, became ministers. The party used conclusion that the BJP would capture power that opportunity to consolidate its position in the slate. The party leaders were waiting by expanding its patronage network and in the wings to form the government. There recruiting RSS cadres into important was more than one contender for the post government positions. It maintained its of chief minister. After losing power in Uttar identity, though the Jan Sangh was dissolved Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in the 1993 for a while. elections, the BJP in Gujarat had become The party fought its first election after its Notes: a Seats reserved for STs, having more active. The party changed its strategy and birth as the BJP in 1980. Like other non- than 70 per cent tribal population, priorities to expand its base in view of the Congress parties, it suffered a setback and b Constituencies with between 50 and 75 per cent urban voters. approaching elections. The Congress (I), on could secure only nine seats. The party 165 Economic and Political Weekly January 113-20, 1996 branded him as a pro-rich, upper-caste builder lobby was active and was openly 45 per cent, whereas it was 55 per cent in peasant leader. In the mid-term Lok Sabha supporting one or the other contending the l%7 elections. The 1995 polls have poll in 1991, the Congress entered into an aspirant. In an ad hoc arrangement broken that record. More important, this alliance with the JD (G) by sharing 10 out Chhabildas was made the chief minister, time voter turnout in tribal constituencies of the 26 seals. Both the Congress and the and he was forced to accommodate a large was higher than the state average, i e, 70 per JD (G) experienced a humiliating defeat, number of power seekers in his 38-member cent. The urban constituencies, however, while the BJP won 24 out of 26 seats. ministry, which had two deputy chief continued the earlier pattern of low turnout Urmilaben Patel, the CM's wife, was also ministers. (Table 1). defeated. The BJP had a lead in 119 assembly Factionalism came to the surface again Contrary to general belief, there is no segments out of 182. Between the JD (G) during the distribution of tickets. The senior positive relations hip between the high turnout and the Congress, the performance of the leaders had their own lists for all the 182 and the BJP victory, for the Congress also former was worse. The JD (G) could take constituencies. The JD(G) faction succeeded won seats where the turnout was high. In a lead in only I8 assembly segments (31 per in getting a large chunk, and many of those 30 constituencies the turnout was more than cent) out of the 59 in which it contested, who did not get the party ticket contested 20 per cent higher than in the 1990 elections, whereas the Congress secured a lead in 40 as independents. The BJP also had a and the Congress won 30 per cent of the scats per cent of the segments. The lesson was faction - fight over selection of candidates, from these constituencies. It had a similar clear - the JD (G) had no popular base in and some of the rejected aspirants contested performance in the low turnout constituencies the state. But the Congress high command as independents. There was, however, a as well (Table 2). gave preference to the JD faction within the significant difference between the Congress The BJP secured more voles than the party rather than to its own party loyalists. and the BJP rebels - many of the Congress Congress in all the regions of the state. For reasons having to do with national rebel candidates received support from the Barring two, it captured all the seats in the politics, the prime minister wanted to keep one or the other party faction leaders, urban areas, securing more than 20 per ccnt Gujarat under Congress rule; therefore he whereas this was not so in the case of the more votes than its rival. An independent did not want to displease Chimanbhai Patel. BJP. A majority of the winning independent won one of the remaining two seals with less Soon after the 1991 Lok Sabha election candidates were ex-Congress leaders, while than 100 votes; the Congress captured the some senior Congress leaders from the state no BJP rebel won.