INDIA bloc should reflect on Stalin’s remarks on Bihar results

The Opposition, especially the Congress, finds it convenient to blame institutions such as the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its failures

Tamil Nadu chief minister and a stalwart of the INDIA bloc, MK Stalin, has a piece of advice for his colleagues in the national Opposition. In his response to the drubbing the RJD-Congress-Left combine received in Bihar, he said: “Election outcomes reflect welfare delivery, social and ideological coalitions, clear political messaging, and dedicated management until the last vote is polled.” This statement states the basics of winning elections. In simple terms, elections are won by parties/coalitions that have a clear and coherent political message, channels to communicate that message down to the voters, a record in administration worth highlighting, and that work hard till the last vote is cast and counted. The Opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance or GA) leadership should reflect on the DMK chief’s remarks if it ever sits down to do a postmortem of the results.

The Grand Alliance leadership procrastinated on its chief ministerial face, fought among each other in close to a dozen constituencies, its constituents spoke in different languages, and ran a relatively lacklustre campaign. (HT Photo)

The Opposition, especially the Congress, finds it convenient to blame institutions such as the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its failure to win the trust of the voters. It did so after the loss in Haryana, thereafter in Maharashtra, and now, in Bihar. It’s become a Pavlovian response for the Congress to challenge the sanctity of the verdict after every election loss. This allows the party leadership to avoid any dissection of its own failures. Take Bihar, for instance. The GA leadership procrastinated on its chief ministerial face, fought among each other in close to a dozen constituencies, its constituents spoke in different languages (the RJD was mostly reacting to the NDA’s promises and accusations while the Congress harped on abstract issues, ignoring subjects such as unemployment that would have resonated with the public), and ran a relatively lacklustre campaign. Unless the Opposition, especially the Congress, introspects on the more mundane aspects that ultimately decide election outcomes, they are unlikely to find redemption.