Over four years after a crushing defeat at the hands of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in the last Lok Sabha elections, the Congress led by Rahul Gandhi appears to be positioning itself for a fightback. Following its victory in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the Congress has attempted to portray itself as a party that acts on pre-poll promises to present a contrast with the Modi government.
By waiving farmers' loans in the three states, the Congress is arguably trying to make people remember the aspirations Modi voiced during the 2014 election campaign. In Madhya Pradesh, the new Congress government has waived farmers' loans of up to Rs 2 lakh, with the total amount valued at nearly Rs 38,000 crore. In 2014, Modi had promised to give farmers profit of 50 per cent over production costs. However, action in this regard has not progressed much beyond a draft legislation called the Model Contract Farming Act, 2018.
The issue of farmers' welfare is just one area where critics of Modi are drawing comparisons between 'campaigner Modi' of 2014 and PM Modi of 2018. Let's take a look at some promises that were made by Modi and the BJP in 2014 and the government's performance in key areas.
1. Jobs
Narendra Modi, during the 2014 elections, promised to create 10 million jobs and take the Indian economy out of the allegedly 'sluggish' phase set during the 10 years of UPA rule. However, the fact remains that job creation in the formal sector has not improved in the four years of PM Modi.
Moreover, various BJP leaders touting pakoda making as a 'means' of self-employment, even though it falls in the informal sector, has riled critics of Modi.
During the Karnataka assembly election campaign, Rahul Gandhi had claimed China was able to create 50,000 jobs in a 24-hour period, while the Modi government could only generate 450 jobs in the same period. Moreover, Modi's image has also suffered from the consequences of demonetisation, which effectively led to the loss of 1.5 million jobs, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, a think tank that tracks business and economic data.
2.Price rise
Another key BJP promise in the 2014 election campaign was to regulate rise in prices of essential commodities for which the UPA government was bitterly attacked. The BJP also talked about putting a stop to black marketing and hoarding. The Modi government has been partially successful in keeping prices of essential commodities in check. On the other hand, the absence of regulatory bodies to stop black marketing and hoarding remains a negative for Modi.
3. Corruption
The BJP promised to crack down on institutionalised corruption, which it claimed the UPA had allowed. Modi also claimed every citizen could get Rs 15 lakh in their account if all the black money of Indians stashed abroad were to be recovered. However, the BJP's anti-corruption credentials have been severally dented by the PNB scam, which cost the exchequer nearly $1.8 billion; the 'escape' of Vijay Mallya and the Rafale deal, among others. Furthermore, the Modi government not acting to formalise the Jan Lokpal bill has angered activists, who cite the BJP's vocal support to the Anna Hazare agitation of 2011.
4. Communal harmony
The BJP manifesto had promised to implement a uniform civil code for every citizen of India regardless of his or her caste, creed, sex or colour as in the Constitution. The BJP talked about creating a single code, which included all the traditions and cultures of India and relating them in a smooth manner to the modern times. Despite the lofty rhetoric, the party's record in curbing incidence of communal unrest has been patchy.
In Uttar Pradesh, 822 incidents of communal violence were recorded under the Yogi Adityanath government, a 15 per cent increase over the past year.
5. Foreign policy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been able to sustain momentum in ties with the US and Arab nations and also build new relations with African countries. However, the country's diplomatic record in its immediate neighbourhood has remained weak, even Modi had promised a muscular foreign policy. India lost diplomatic influence in Nepal and the Maldives, with China increasing its profile in those nations, though the change in government in the Maldives has rekindled optimism in Delhi. Furthermore, ties with Pakistan and China, India's main strategic rivals, remain tenuous.
6. Defence
The BJP has traditionally projected itself as a party that is strong on the issue of national security and Modi's campaign in the 2014 election was no different. However, the Modi government's record in defence equipment up-gradation has been uninspiring, to say the least. Most 'Make in India' initiatives are still in the initial stages and vital procurements of new fighter jets, submarines, sensors and other equipment remain in limbo. The Rafale deal has invited criticism of the Modi government's lack of strategic foresight. The failure to implement the OROP (One Rank, One Pension) to the satisfaction of ex-servicemen's groups has also been criticised heavily.
