The Opposition offers a “frightening scenario” to the electorate and this will be behind its “rout”, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday in an article that contended the “groundswell” in favour of PM Narendra Modi is becoming stronger as the seventh and final phase of elections approaches.
“To the electorate, they [Opposition] provide an absolutely frightening scenario. I have long argued that aspirational societies look for a better tomorrow. They are averse to suicidal choices. The frightening and scary scenario that the Opposition promises will be responsible for its rout. This consolidates the groundswell in favour of [Narendra] Modi,” Jaitley wrote on his website .
Modi’s decisiveness, integrity and performance, and his delivery of resources to the poor are the positive reasons behind his acceptability, Jaitley said, calling his security doctrine a “game-changer”. He said the National Democratic Alliance’s strength has been an absence of any confusion about its leadership or programme. “The not-so-positive reason for the Prime Minister’s high acceptability levels is the absence of any cogent or coherent alternative,” he said.
He also said that the Opposition could not forge an alliance in several key states. “They do not call a meeting of different opposition parties for the obvious fear that many will not attend the meeting.” “The common thread which brings them together is negativism – to get rid of one person.” He argued that the Opposition has no agreement on either leader or programme; it is a “fractured” group that could not come together before or during the elections, so “who will believe their assurance that they can come together after the election?”
{{/usCountry}}He also said that the Opposition could not forge an alliance in several key states. “They do not call a meeting of different opposition parties for the obvious fear that many will not attend the meeting.” “The common thread which brings them together is negativism – to get rid of one person.” He argued that the Opposition has no agreement on either leader or programme; it is a “fractured” group that could not come together before or during the elections, so “who will believe their assurance that they can come together after the election?”
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