PM Modi will address around 25 rallies in poll-bound states. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, in particular, will host the large part of his rallies. PM Modi‘s popularity has remained consistent throughout his tenure. It is the popularity of PM Modi which helped the NDA in assuming power in 2014. PM Modi has the capacity to swing the votes in BJP’s favour and the recent state elections in Gujarat and Karnataka very well prove the success of Narendra Modi as an election campaigner.
Despite the anti-incumbency in the states, the BJP has been able to win the elections one after another. The story of Congress is altogether different; it has been reduced to just 3 states. PM Narendra Modi’s campaign has been a major factor in installing governments of BJP or its alliances in 21 states. The BJP is the incumbent party in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and in these states BJP directly faces the Congress. The BJP aims to get rid of the congress in the upcoming elections beating all sorts of anti-incumbency.
Meanwhile, in a major set-back to the Congress, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav have withdrawn their supports from the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance. The meltdown of grand alliance indicates that Congress allies don’t want to jeopardize their own vote banks in wake of BJP’s growing clout in the country. Therefore, Mayawati is set to contest Chhattisgarh election against the Congress.
The saffron Party seems to be determined to win three major states ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. An online Mega Times Group Poll conducted in 9 languages by Times Media from May 23rd to 25th concludes that 73.3% of the respondents in survey are in the favour of PM Modi. PM Modi remains the most popular choice for the post of Prime Minister in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Interestingly, Congress president Rahul Gandhi was the third most favoured choice with 11.93 percent votes as reported in ‘Pulse of the Nation survey.’
PM Modi is set to sweep the Congress out of power with the title of opposition for the Congress too appearing in danger. Wherever PM Modi embarks on a campaign, the wind blows in the favor of the BJP. The only chance Congress had, was to form alliances with regional parties and try to negotiate for some seats. Wherever the regional parties are powerful, they have made it clear that they do not need the Congress. The fact is that the Congress needs the regional parties. Moreover, the Congress has distanced itself from Mahagathbandhan in the confidence that it will take upon the BJP alone and emerge victorious. In fact, in Uttar Pradesh, chances are that the “grand alliance” may be between the Samajwadi Party and the BSP only, with the Congress getting a meager share of seats—as it does not bring anything to the electoral basket for either of the two regional parties. The move by the two parties goes on to signify the inability of the Congress Party President Rahul Gandhi to retain allies.
When asked about forming an alliance with the Congress BSP Supremo, Mayawati said, “Teaming up for 2019 is not an option’.
The dream of a united opposition or Mahagatbandhan has shattered. The BJP on the other hand, with Narendra Modi to campaign in the poll-bound states, appears invincible. The taste of victory for the Congress seems far- fetched. The members of the grand alliance have parted ways with Congress and this only makes a strong case for the BJP in these three states.