The 2024 Lok Sabha Election goes to be historic in some ways. First, it should mark the primary occasion when Congress will go to the polls after warming the opposition benches for 10 consecutive years. Second, the BJP will full 10 years in energy with an absolute majority and third, it should search one other straight time period for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the historical past of unbiased India, solely Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had secured three consecutive phrases as Prime Minister with a transparent majority. While beneath Nehru, Congress gained 364 seats in 1951-52 elections, 371 seats in 1957 and 361 seats in 1962 elections. Nehru remained PM of India from 1951 till his demise on 27 May 1964. Even Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh dominated for a most of two consecutive phrases.
Why Modi May Emerge Stronger Than Nehru?
When the previous PM Nehru went to the third Lok Sabha polls in 1962, there was little question in anybody’s thoughts in regards to the Congress occasion’s prospects as there was no sturdy opposition. The opposition at that cut-off date constituted smaller events having no leaders who might problem the authority of Nehru. In the 1962 polls, the Congress gained 361 seats, the Communist Party of India gained 29 seats, C Rajagopalchari’s Swatantra Party 18 and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh 14 seats. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh was at the moment led by Debaprasad Ghosh however was common solely in sure areas. Also, again then, there was no idea of even Leader of Opposition and the availability for the submit was made solely in 1969. So, it may be stated that Nehru just about went into an opposition-less ballot and the the victory for Congress was not solely assured however foretold.Â
Challenges Before NDA
On the opposite hand, the BJP led by Narendra Modi not solely faces a powerful opposition like Congress but additionally a united entrance of the INDIA bloc led by the grand outdated occasion. The bloc consists of regional patriarchs like MK Stalin’s DMK, Nitish Kumar’s JDU, Lalu Yadav’s RJD, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and different key events like Left, Hemant Soren’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Omar Abdullah’s Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party.
If the BJP manages to get a transparent majority for the third straight time, not solely Modi will emerge as a powerful nationwide chief however the opposition must rethink its technique as properly.Â