Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has expressed skepticism about the Bharatiya Janata Party‘s (BJP) ability to replicate its electoral success from the 2019 polls in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Tharoor’s remarks come amidst the political landscape gearing up for the impending national elections.
Speaking at ABP Network’s Ideas of India Summit 3.0 on `Collaborative Federalism: View of the States’, Shashi Tharoor highlighted that the BJP had reached its peak in many states during the 2019 elections. He emphasized that the BJP’s performance in 2019 was exceptional, particularly across the Hindi heartland, where it secured significant victories.
Shashi Tharoor remarked, “They peaked in 2019. We are going to see nothing but a downward slide. How much downhill that is going to be depends on how effective the opposition campaign is, which is just picking up.”
The Congress leader pointed out the BJP’s remarkable performance in states like Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Bihar during the 2019 polls. However, he suggested that replicating such success would be challenging for the BJP in the upcoming elections.
While acknowledging the potential rise in the BJP’s vote share, Tharoor reasoned that the saffron party had already maximized its seat share in several key states. He noted that factors such as the recent consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya might generate enthusiasm among BJP supporters, but there were limited seats left to win in the aforementioned states.
Shashi Tharoor’s comments resonate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier assertion that the BJP alone would surpass the 370-seat mark in the Lok Sabha elections. Modi’s statement reflects the BJP’s ambitious electoral goals, despite Tharoor’s observations about the party’s potential challenges.
As the Election Commission prepares to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, political dynamics are intensifying across the country. With assessments underway to evaluate each state’s election readiness, anticipation is mounting for the forthcoming electoral contest, which is expected to shape India’s political landscape in the coming years.
Dhairya Saraswat