The BJP is forever trying to expand its base, and it deserves credit for winning Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, along with an improved performance in Telangana (‘The art of electoral war’, December 17). Now it is more or less sure that the BJP will score a hat-trick victory in 2024.
All said, the result of the heartland states will not affect the Lok Sabha polls. If the Congress had won Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh it would have significantly boosted the party’s chances in the 2024 elections.
I agree with Editor Philip Mathew that an unimaginative and inflexible alliance cannot provide a vibrant opposition. The Congress, in my opinion, should relinquish the leadership role in the INDIA alliance. It should contest in lesser seats—around 300 seats, and win at least 50 per cent of those seats. Every leader and worker of the Congress should realise that the fight with the BJP and Narendra Modi is going to be a long haul. So, be prepared.
Sai Kumar,
On email.
The victory of the BJP in heartland states was astounding. Wresting power from the ruling Congress in two states foretold its imprint on the 2024 elections.
The Congress could be happy with its performance in Telangana, which was tottering from crisis to crisis under the K. Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS government.
The Congress has to rework its strategy to face the 2024 elections.
B. Gurumurthy,
On email.
Your cover story on the BJP’s secret sauce for hat-trick in 2024 was noteworthy. The victory of the BJP in these states is a lesson to all political parties in the country—that if you do not know the pulse of the people, you cannot win an election. The BJP’s stunning victory reflects people’s faith in Modi. Rahul Gandhi’s aggressive attacks on Modi has turned out to be garlands for Modi. Rahul is yet to realise that constant criticism of Modi is not going to help the Congress win votes. I don’t think even a united opposition can defeat the BJP in the 2024 elections.
Jayakumar A.V.,
On email.
The BJP is filled with arrogant leaders. It will lose the 2024 elections. See what happened to the NDA government in 2004, after it successfully won the assembly elections in December 2003. See what happened to the Indian cricket team in the 2023 World Cup—it lost in the final after winning all the group matches and the semi-final. Overconfidence will end the BJP’s rule in the country.
Modi and Amit Shah have a notion that no force on earth can defeat the BJP, as long as they are at the helm. They are making a terrible mistake. The leaders of the BJP are as ordinary as the common man in the country.
Ashish Patel,
On email.
People’s confidence in Modi is rising. But it was sad on how Shivraj Singh Chouhan was sidelined in the BJP after the emphatic victory he delivered in Madhya Pradesh. If not for Chouhan’s popularity the BJP would have never won as many seats in Madhya Pradesh. Some of the seniors in the BJP were jealous of Chouhan, and it was evident when they removed the veteran leader rather uncharitably. Chouhan should have continued to be the chief minister. People of Madhya Pradesh must be feeling betrayed.
Appu Menon,
On email.
There is no stopping Modi. He will continue to be the prime minister till 2034, and after that give way to a younger leader. The BJP will continue to rule the country for many more years. There will come a time, after 2034, when Modi will become the NDA’s presidential nominee, who will go on to become the president of the country. He will become the only person in the country who will be elected prime minister and president.
Modi is blessed with a long life. His mother—Heeraben Modi—lived up to 100. Modi, in all likelihood, has his mother’s genes and longevity.
Kiran Mehta,
On email.
Take Rajan seriously
Your interview with Raghuram Rajan was a really good one (‘The need of the hour is intellectual capital factories like IIMs’, December 17). The Union government should recognise the value of Rajan’s statements. In an economic activity, labour and capital are distinctively different, but Rajan, with his expertise in human development, has placed human capital (a form of labour) as a major component in a nation’s progress.
I am working in a rural area for the past 30 years. The improvement that I see is more in the form of quantity (enrolment), and there has been no substantial improvement in the quality of education—a basic requirement for skill development. Technological changes are happening on a daily basis, covering vast areas. Present educational standards, particularly in the rural areas, are not enough. Unless concerted efforts are made, we will have only unskilled labour in large numbers.
Also, comparing India with other countries all the time is not desirable. There are experts in our country who can look into the educational structure upto 12th grade to formulate a system that can produce competent students from the high school level. According the reports, India will require at least 30 lakh skilled personnel by 2030.
Let us not politicise the educational system in the country.
K.S. Ramamurthy,
On email.
Rajan has spoken his mind despite being labelled as anti-BJP, which I think is unwarranted. Agreed that he has criticised some of policies of the Union government, but does that mean he has political affiliations? In your interview, Rajan has reiterated that the government must focus on education and health to move up the value chain.
Quality of education in India has to improve substantially.
G.K. Kansal,
On email.