GUJARAT AND HIMACHAL PRADESH voted for rivaaj (tradition). While Himachali voters rejected the BJP and upheld the tradition of electing an alternate government every five years, voters in Gujarat gave the saffron party its biggest victory ever and a seventh straight term. With over 52 per cent vote share, and 156 of 182 seats, the Modi magic has worked again in Gujarat, although he moved to Delhi eight years ago.
The Modi mantra of good governance, development and welfarism infused with the cultural resurgence of hindutva-known collectively as the Gujarat model-still pays dividends. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, 2022 is ending on a high note as they expect the momentum gained in successive victories in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Gujarat will be carried forward next year when elections will be held in ten states, including key ones like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and possibly Jammu and Kashmir. Winning Gujarat has been on expected lines, still, the historic mandate in their home state has come as a matter of personal satisfaction for Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The cacophony of victory chants at the BJP headquarters may have drowned out the loss in Himachal Pradesh and the Aam Aadmi Party's victory in the Delhi municipal elections, but the road ahead for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is not devoid of challenges.
This story is from the December 18, 2022 edition of THE WEEK India.
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This story is from the December 18, 2022 edition of THE WEEK India.
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