Results for: Bharatiya Janata Party

Narendra Modi’s appeal to the middle class is a case study in political communication, as his style of populism does not fit any typical framework studied by academics. In liberal democracies, the middle class is known to be an anchor of stability and a defender of the status quo. However, in India, the middle class has voted for a party whose policies are aimed at changing the secular status quo. This study finds that the answer lies partly in a double messaging by Mr. Modi and the BJP. The BJP’s promise of building the Ram temple in Ayodhya, for instance, had low credibility among middle-class voters. However, this low credibility helped the BJP develop a double level of communication with its audience. The assumption that the party would not act on its most extreme proposals made it sound more innocuous to moderate middle-class voters.

The upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha promise an intense battle between the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the BJD aims to secure a sixth consecutive term for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the BJP has raised the issue of ‘Odia asmita’ or self-pride, targeting Patnaik’s aide, V.K. Pandian, a non-Odia bureaucrat-turned-politician.

The upcoming 2024 General Elections in India have witnessed a significant rise in the salience of the Constitution as a central issue in political discourse. This development has been driven by concerns among voters, particularly Dalit and Yadav voters, that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intends to alter the Constitution.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its alleged arrogance during a meeting with traders in Ferozepur, Punjab. Kejriwal accused BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of thinking that they were responsible for creating the universe. He urged the people of Punjab to vote out the BJP in the upcoming elections to preserve democracy and the Constitution, which he claimed were under threat. Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP was conducting the elections in a dictatorial manner.

Seven electoral districts in Delhi prepare for the sixth phase of India’s parliamentary elections on May 25th. This phase of the 2024 General Elections unfolds amidst the controversial arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal regarding an alleged liquor policy scam. Kejriwal’s subsequent release on bail has polarized opinions across the nation. In this charged political climate, Delhi’s voters navigate questions about the fairness of Kejriwal’s arrest, the prospects of his Aam Aadmi Party, and the likelihood of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party securing a sweeping victory. The Hindu delves into these questions and explores the sentiments of Delhi’s electorate.

Despite the urgency of climate action, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress have largely ignored the issue in their electoral platforms. This omission is particularly glaring given India’s vulnerability to climate impacts and the global consensus on the need for immediate action. The reluctance to engage with climate change stems from the perceived political cost of ambitious climate policies, which may alienate powerful industrial constituencies and disrupt the status quo. However, the absence of detailed climate action plans in political manifestos sends a disheartening message to educated, middle-class voters who are increasingly concerned about environmental issues. The challenge for India is to bridge the gap between electoral politics and climate policy, requiring a shift in political calculations and a more active role for the media and civil society in driving a narrative that places environmental sustainability at the heart of India’s development agenda.

A clash between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supporters in Saran, Bihar, on May 21 left two dead and one injured. The violence erupted after RJD candidate Rohini Acharya visited a polling booth and got into an argument with some people. Following the clash, the police opened fire, killing one person on the spot and another in the hospital. A third person is undergoing treatment in Patna. The incident has led to allegations of foul play by Ms. Acharya, who claims that the BJP is attempting to undermine democracy. The Saran Police have suspended the Internet for 48 hours and detained two people in connection with the incident.

In the midst of ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders have made revelations regarding the earlier political landscape, particularly concerning the appointment of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in 2019. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut has alleged that senior leaders from both the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had expressed reservations about Shinde’s potential as Chief Minister at the time. Raut claimed that when the undivided Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray, entered an alliance with the Congress and the NCP, several prominent leaders from both parties opposed Shinde’s appointment as CM, with some reportedly stating their unwillingness to work under his leadership due to his perceived inexperience. Raut also asserted that even within the BJP, senior leaders such as Devendra Fadnavis, Girish Mahajan, and Sudhir Mungantiwar had conveyed their reluctance to see Shinde as Chief Minister. Meanwhile, in a separate interview, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has stated that his party would have faced a split in 2004 had Chhagan Bhujbal been chosen as Chief Minister over him. These revelations have added a layer of intrigue to the ongoing electoral campaign, with both the MVA and the ruling Mahayuti coalition seeking to sway voters ahead of the crucial final phase of the Lok Sabha polls on May 20th.

The Congress party has vehemently criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for fielding a candidate facing sexual harassment charges, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s son, in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party’s general secretary, Jairam Ramesh, expressed concern over the safety of women in India under Modi’s leadership and raised questions about the progress of key infrastructure projects in Uttar Pradesh.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has alleged that the BJP, if elected to power after the Lok Sabha polls, intends to amend the Constitution and eliminate reservation policies. This claim was made during a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav. Kejriwal further expressed his belief that the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, would be replaced if the party regained power, while Yadav stated that the BJP had already suffered defeats in the initial phases of the Lok Sabha elections.