In both states, BJP eyes second terms on the trot

NEW DELHI: The Maharashtra and Haryana assembly polls, the first round of elections since BJP’s big win in the Lok Sabha elections, hold high stakes for the party, which is looking to consolidate its hold on these states and ensure that any local incumbencies do not upset its plans.
A return to office in the states would mark a historic high for BJP, which has never been able to rule either of the two states two times in a row.In fact, it formed a government on its own in Haryana for the first time in 2014.
BJP seems comfortably placed as front-runner in both the states, armed with development programmes as well as the Centre’s decision to turn Article 370 into a dead letter and remove Jammu and Kashmir’s special status -- something that appeals to not just its core voters but also to those who see it as a strong nationalist step.
The turmoil in opposition parties – Congress, Sharad Pawar’s NCP in Maharashtra, INLD in Haryana — due to internal feuds and people crossing over to BJP for better opportunities has already dealt a blow in terms of putting up a credible fight though the ground situation is yet to fully unfold.
The opposition is also struggling to put up a face to its challenge as opposed to the sitting chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra) and Manohar Lal Khattar (Haryana) that BJP decided to back, making the task easier for the incumbent party.
As BJP’s first CM in Maharashtra to complete a full term, Fadnavis is also credited for quelling the Maratha unrest in the state by offering reservation to the community in government jobs and education. Alliance trouble with Shiv Sena in the last five years has also been taken care of with the help of the Centre. Khattar, who did not have a good start, as he faced wrath of Jats again on a reservation issue, has managed to emerge with a clean image.
However, the “state of the economy” may not be a happy situation for the ruling BJP in both the poll-bound states, especially in Maharashtra which is a much larger state and also the biggest hub for industry and other economic activities in the country. Hence job losses, slowdown in growth figures, the falling rupee, the rising oil and gas prices, are likely to be a disadvantage for BJP. No other party or government can be blamed for it. Hence it is not without reason that the finance ministry has been active over the last month cutting down the items on the GST list and taking several other measures to boost the economy.
While some local issues are bound to come up, especially to do with ticket selection, with PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah having decided to open the doors to defectors from other parties, in a bid to drain rivals of local talent, it is to be seen whether internal troubles can be kept at bay by the BJP leadership.