It\'s going to be advantage BJP in 2019 general elections\, says Jaitley

It's going to be advantage BJP in 2019 general elections, says Jaitley

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

Dismissing opposition parties' 'Mahagathbandhan' as unviable and unworkable, Monday said its going to be advantage BJP in the next as an aspirational society will not commit a "collective suicide" by voting for a short-lived political alliance.

People are more intelligent than what many politicians think, Jaitley said, adding they will never choose chaos as an option.

"The BJP and NDA have to be prepared for a battle for a 50 per cent vote in the direct fight contest. Many States will still witness triangular contests. If a second term for Modi is the issue, it is advantage BJP. The election will be more presidential.

"If negativism is the political campaign in an aspirational nation, it won't work. If arithmetic is the only hope, the Modi chemistry can prevail over it," said Jaitley, who is currently in the US for a medical check up.

Recalling the 1971 General Elections, Jaitley said the opposition had formed a 'Grand Alliance' or the 'Mahagathbandhan' teaming up against the then

In 1971, he said: "We (Grand Alliance) had powerful leaders and a head-start in the media. Additionally, the had split into two .... The results were announced, rejected negativism. The of 2019 has moved way ahead of of 1971. Aspirational society never commit a collective suicide. They do not suffer from a Lemming Syndrome".

Lemming Syndrome refers to a phenomenon wherein crowds of people, imitate actions of each other just because they see majority of their peers doing it.

"Will 2019 be a replica of 1971? It is an unviable and an unworkable short-lived combination. OR is it Chaos? Jaitley wondered.

Stating that every has its own script that is dictated by the prevailing political environment, Jaitley said for 2019 political battle, India's opposition has a two-fold strategy, firstly, negative anti-Modi agenda and secondly, random political grouping to gain from the electoral arithmetic.

He said Opposition has thrown up four desirous Prime Ministers wishing to challenge

"It is obvious that the level of satisfaction with PM Sh @narendramodi ji is very high. If that weren't so, what was the need for multiple disparate forces to come together against him? It is only the fear of his popularity & a certain comeback that is bringing them together," Jaitley said.

He said the anti-Modi rally organised by Opposition parties in Kolkata, became significantly "a non-rally," by his conspicuous absence.

"All four ambitious politicians pursue fanciful strategies to replace PM @narendramodi, however, can at best dream only to be a pillion rider," Jaitley noted.

The opposition has thrown up four desirous Prime Ministers wishing to challenge Modi, he said.

"Two-third of those on stage (at Kolkata rally) were those who in the past have worked with the BJP. Some octogenarians reached Kolkata to satisfy their late-life ambitions. There was not a single speech reflecting the positive idea which the leaders proposed for the future.

"Negativism was writ large in their approach. The strategy of each of the four contenders (Mamata Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati and KCR) is clear... The individual strategy of each one of the above appears to be the same. Replace Modi and get on to the Driver's seat," Jaitley said.

Modi, Jaitley said, has singularly decimated all caste-based parties and dynastic political groups in 2014. "The opposition is making Modi's continuation in office as a key political issue. We in BJP welcome this agenda being set by the opposition," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mon, January 21 2019. 17:00 IST