IN MARCH, HARYANA Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini sought a vote of confidence in the assembly after the Bharatiya Janata Party picked him to replace two-term chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda ridiculed the new chief minister, saying he was just a night watchman for his party. In the months that followed, Saini made policy announcements to tide over anti-incumbency. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah rolled out a strategy to counter the Congress' focus on jawan, kisan and pehalwan.
Now known as the 35-1 strategy, the BJP leaders looked for ways to consolidate votes from 35 of the 36 prominent communities in the state, since the Congress focused on the Jats who constitute 25 per cent of the population. They actively wooed the remaining 75 per cent.
Saini promised permanent jobs to Agniveers and enhanced quota for OBCs. And, when the votes were counted, it became evident that OBCs, Punjabis, dalits and even a section of the Jats had backed the BJP. Also, the fear of the return of farmers' agitation and a Jat government led to consolidation in favour of the saffron party.
The showing in Haryana was honed in previous elections; in Madhya Pradesh, where the party faced similar anti-incumbency sentiments, and even in Chhattisgarh, where the Congress was poised for victory. If Kamal Nath was vocal about his aspirations to be the chief minister in Madhya Pradesh, Hooda left no doubts about his.
This caused a schism within the party and even led to complacency.
Moreover, as the Congress celebrated winning five of 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJP crunched the numbers and found that it was ahead in 44 assembly segments and looked at how to use that information in the assembly polls.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Constipation Can Put Your Heart At Risk
PEOPLE WITH CONSTIPATION have an increased risk of major cardiac events, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure, especially if they also have high blood pressure, finds an international study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
Too Much Sitting Can Accelerate Ageing
SITTING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS can harm the heart and accelerate ageing, even if you are young and get the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise, according to a US study published in the journal PLOS One.
Efficiency and innovation
As health care evolves, professionals must employ innovative methods to refine their skills
Level up
Only 30 per cent of needy patients are able to undergo transplant in India; we need more dedicated transplant centres
HOPE STEMS FROM A CELL
While stem cell therapies have shown success in treating blood disorders, orthopaedic ailments, autoimmune diseases and eye issues, there is hope that they can one day treat patients with heart disease, blindness, Parkinson's, HIV, diabetes and spinal cord injuries
Mind matters
Your mindset can limit or expand your physical ability
Cutting edge
Would you go under the knife if a robot was the one holding it? Or would you say, \"No way, I need a human touch\"? You might have to decide soon because a robot that can imitate skilled human surgeons is already here.
The smallest cut
Minimally invasive surgeries have a bright future, with virtual reality and 3D procedures offering greater precision and AI on the horizon
Signalling a revolution
Canadian scientist and entrepreneur Sachdev Sidhu is focused on bringing cutting-edge antibody engineering to his country of origin
Wellness on demand
Starting as a doctor-patient chat platform, Medibuddy has evolved to be India's largest on-demand, full-stack digital health care platform