One of the most bitterly fought and exhausting general election in the history of electoral politics of the nation has just ended and the janta has given a mandate which can all be summed up as emphatic and spectacular. If 2014 was a Modi tsunami, 2019 is also it’s repetition but with much greater intensity. Lotus has blossomed almost all over the land including Arunachal Pradesh and the North East, and the saffron brigade alone has captured 300+ seats and the NDA 350 or so. And it‘s clear that the so called anti-incumbency factor, a regular visitor almost in every election has failed to exert any influence this time, giving birth to an altogether new set of theories in electoral dynamics of India that are to be discussed and analysed in great details in coming days.

But the foremost question that is chasing all is why the Narendra Modi led BJP brigade achieved this sweeping and historic victory and the opposition fell like a house of cards. And the popular perception which is emerging is that it is ‘nationalism & national security’ which has shaped the destiny of 17th Lok Sabha. The issues of economic stagnation, unemployment, agrarian distress, corruption, fading pluralism that have been vociferously propounded by the opposition during election campaigns have failed to make any decisive impact on the minds of 90+ crore electorate cutting across caste, religion and region. It seems that they have found their messiah in a persona named Narendra Damodardas Modi who has the courage to deal with the country’s enemies with the principle of ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’ and lead the nation to greater heights of strength, pride and prosperity. The other facet that has contributed handsomely to Modi’s conquest is perhaps his humble background and incorruptible image with no one to bequeath ‘anything’, a sharp contrast to the current Indian polity saturated with parties often ridiculed as ‘family firms’. The opposition block on other hand did little to present themselves as a credible alternative to the electorate. Neither did they form a comprehensive pre-poll alliance and a common programme to pursue for the coming five years nor did they bother to declare their prime ministerial candidate. People naturally refrained from taking the risk of bestowing trust on a platform displaying obvious signs of instability.

Coming to Northeast, NDA’s strides have become lengthier this time and it’s 18 out of 25. In Arunachal too, it’s also a resounding victory for BJP, both in LS and Assemblies. People of this region have given this unflinching support on the expectation that their long- cherished dreams of economic upliftment will be fulfilled.

 

Their expectations are now greater since they have shown greater trust on Modi-led BJP & NDA than before.