Give him a fair chance

28/03/2017

One is more than familiar with the adage that taught us to not judge a book by merely a look at its cover. Something similar seems to be characterizing the background of political discourse concerning Yogi Adityanath'srise to the crown of Uttar Pradesh that struck to most of us as a relegationtowards BJP's inherent affinity to the ideals of Hindutva that until now had been eclipsed by Modi's popular mantra of "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas"constructed upon the theme of promising inclusive development and constructive politics. While most of the political gurus comfortably framed the move, as an approach towards Hindtuva, steered by it's intrinsic allegiance to RSS's idea of a "Hindu Rashtra", dismissing Yogi on such a basis would a an entirely immature take on the entire matter. Disassociating Yogi from the vaguest idea of development on the mere interpretation of his saffron attire, and condemning him even before the execution of his task as a chief Minister would not only be unfair to Yogi but is also in clear defiance to every rule of rationality and logic. One cannot certainly be swayed by the opposition that promptly condemned Yogi as an agent of the hardliner hindutva factions within the Saffron premises and further chastised the Bharatiya Janata Party for it's return to Hindutva Styled politics after failing to deliver on its agenda of positive growth and development.
But somewhere amid all politicking,an unwarranted and predisposed criticismis being planned and propagated as a strategic tool to undermine Yogi's image even before he is endowed with a fair chance to express himself at one of the most influential positions in the Indian polity. Jumping to pessimistic outcomes and propagandist approach is certainly not going to be the solution to any ruckus that may be more of a conjecture than reality in the coming times.
Apart from controversies that Yogi Adityanath has embroiled himself right from the very genesis of his entry into the public sphere, some of which perhaps everyone is well versed with, there is no denying the fact that he has been an extremely popular face when it comes to delivering on his words, the reason perhaps why he has been voted consistently into the lower house of the parliament, right from 1998 to the present, holding five consecutive Lok Sabha seats from Gorakhpur.
Honest to his cause and with cipher affinity for corruption, Yogi is credited with substantial development work carried out in his native constituency of Gorakhpur. The flip side to his infamous projection as a Hindutva hardliner is his empirical commitment to the task at hand, with a combine of rapid and rigid decision-making abilities subsequent thorough execution, that perhaps was the reason that apparently could have impressed the Prime Minister in picking him for the imperative role.
Further, a man may evolve with the change in time and circumstances. And Yogi too may be outrightly different from his Hindutva style of functioning that had earned him the negative spotlight and perhaps a basis for the underlying criticism that he is encountered with right at the outset of his Chief ministerial tenure. Maybe we see a man more aligned to the vision of developmental politics and clean governance as opposed to tending his personal Hindutva constitution, if at all, in consonance with the faith that impliedly comes reposed in a constitutional post of such a high order.
And it comes as no surprise that much of the critique of Yogi stems from the Saffron identity and Hindutva affiliations of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its existence as a party confined in it's approach and objectives, to the Hinduheartline map. But it is also true that the BJP has underwent an historic transition with its evolution into a growth oriented outfit, with the Prime Minister himself standing out as an icon of development and constructive growth as against it's narrow identity of a Hindu hub of polity. The finest testimony to the above transformation lies in the party's increasing presence pan India with its governments not merely circumscribing the Hindi heartline, but dynamic in it's presence and influence all across the narrow frontiershelmed by Prime Minister's promise of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas.
The assertive mandate in the UP elections made a mark in terms of the agenda that underlined such a confidence reposed by the electorate for the very first time. Whatever way one may construe the results, it certainly can't be negated that there was a unanimity of intent in favour of good and clean governance aimed at inclusive growth and a marked rejection to every kind of caste and religious fragmentation commonly used as a tool to appeal individual identities by some regional outfits. In the same sense, the opposition's contention asserting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party failed the people by not rising up to its expectation, stands totally deflated and out of sync with the gigantic mandate that has come as a validation of Modi government's policies, vindicating that opposition is merely jumpy and unable to cope with the stark defeat handed to them by the electorate itself.
Steered by the Prime Minister at the top, the BJP campaign was unequivocally national in character and unified in it's commitment to extending the modus operandi of the Modi-like manner of governance within the confines of India's most populous and one of the strategically imperative tests for the ruling regime preceding the 2019 general elections. Considering the national implications of the UP elections, a state which has since independence performed a pivotal role in setting up the national politics, the verdict doesn't merely offer a discount to the BJP to bask in the leisures of such a confidence, but also brings within it's fold, a glut of added responsibilities and expectations that the party has to fulfill. And looking at winning spree of the Modified BJP, such a truthseems to be sufficiently emphasized as a basis for every mandate.
Installing two deputies along with Chief Minister Yogi, BJP seems to have vindicated that the party was more than sincere in it's attempt to transform UP on the lines of Modi's developmental streak, and carry it from a "Bimaru" state of affairs to where the Prime Minister aims to take it. And the fears regarding Yogi's hardliner identity should further be dispelled that such an arrangement not only provides a helping hand in managing such vast a territory, but also ensures a safety valve kind of a setup against any of Yogi's anxiously alleged Hindutva ambitions.
And Amit Shah, the popular chanakya of the Bharatiya Janata Party, knows too well, that all every ballot in the UP election was caste in favour of furthering the Modi's developmental goals, and certainly not in favour of any Ram Mandir construction that would come up in fabled territory of Ayodhya.
Any effort to polarise wouldn't give them such confidence, and if they didn't approach and apply their promises on development,which looks highly unlikely with PM Modi at the helm, the story in 2019 could be out and out contrast to what it was in the UP assembly elections. But off course with PM taking on his implied role as a vigil to make sure his development agendas are fully executed, such a shift seems highly unlikely.

Share This Story


Comment On This Story

 

Photo Gallery

  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty