General Elections 2019 – Day 59

General Elections 2019 - Day 59

General Elections 2019 - Day 59

Tireless PM continues to drive BJP’s message in Bengal and eastern UP

No one can challenge the fact the Indian PM is a workaholic and has endless stamina to carry on for hours without a break or rest. One has to follow his campaign trail to admire and respect how he manages to continue giving speeches hour after hour, day after day.

Today, he addressed five rallies – two in Bengal and three in eastern U.P. His first address was in Bankura district, and he was at his aggressive best taking on Mamata Banerjee in her backyard.

The Bengal CM is known for her firebrand speeches, but in Modi, she seems to have met her match. He gave back in the same tone, sensing people’s mood was beginning to look for a change. The people seemed to love it. His message to the people of Bengal was clear – it was time for a change, and they must vote for BJP.

The same message went through in Purulia where the BJP expects an upset. People attended in big numbers despite the searing heat, but for the PM it was another day at the office.

From Bengal, he proceeded to eastern U.P where he attended rallies in Azamgarh, Jaunpur, and Prayagraj. BJP is fighting hard to beat back the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in eastern U.P, and the last two phases of voting will be decisive.

Phase 6 of polling takes place on 12 May.

Chemistry between Bua-Bhatija will be tested in the last two phases of voting

Following campaign rallies in the dust and heat of U.P can be challenging for everyone. However, these don’t seem to deter politicians giving it all they have and voters who step out to hear the politicians roll out extended promises, some of which are acted upon while most remain, well, promises.

But it doesn’t deter people from stepping out in droves. If one thought PM Modi was a crowd puller, look at what an Akhilesh-Mayawati rally brings in. The recent alliance between Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati seems to have energized cadres of both parties and voters alike, who throng rallies in large numbers to watch and listen to the two very unlikely leaders.

The next two rounds of voting are crucial to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance. OBCs comprise 40 percent of U.P’s population, and a large percentage of these reside in 27 constituencies in eastern U.P which goes to vote in Phase 6 and 7.

In 2009 and 2014, BSP on its own was not able to win substantial OBC votes. Mayawati is banking on Akhilesh Yadav to bring in the OBC votes. She has fielded her party’s candidates in 17 out of 27 constituencies and needs Akhilesh’s support to crack BJP’s 2014 performance.

The chemistry is working but whether it translates into votes will be known when the results are announced on 23 May.

BJP gets a silent helping from CPM cadres in Bengal

When was the last time you saw the Devil dine with the Angel? In Indian politics, it happens all the time. There is an old saying “there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics,” and this seems to be playing true in West Bengal.

Who would have ever imagined the Left Front cadres extending a helping hand to the right wing BJP? It’s unthinkable, yet 2019 has activated the silent and politically beaten Left Front cadres into action. The enemy is common – Mamata Banerjee-led TMC. The Left cadres know they don’t stand a chance of standing up to a constantly aggressive TMC and realize the only ones to come close to staring them down is the BJP.

For now, they believe the BJP is the lesser enemy, and if they can pull off a miracle, or at least make significant inroads into TMC territory, it will give the Left Front cadres breathing room to build their grassroots network once again. Its why they are silently working to help BJP win in the seats they are contesting.

Arvind Kejriwal ready to support Rahul for PM if granted statehood for Delhi

After having failed to work out an alliance with the Congress to jointly fight elections in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana, Arvind Kejriwal gave Rahul Gandhi his endorsement for PM if in turn, the Congress promises full statehood. Coming after bitterly criticizing the Congress, the statement of support from Kejriwal does reveal a willingness to be part of a post-poll alliance if AAP delivers better results than last time.