Shaming Voters Is Not A Winning Strategy

When critics of BJP transform into critics of those who vote for BJP, they hurt their own cause

- Rahul Shivshankar

BJP’s recent triumph in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand and maiden victory in Manipur is vexing a section of political historians and scientists. Till now, this Left-liberal persuasion mainly focused on assailing the ideological proponents of what they refer to as a “hardline Hindu chauvinism”. The targets predictably have been saffron plenipotentiaries like Mohan Bhagwat, Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath. Their post-result analysis usually focused on picking faults in the “secular” opposition’s messaging and urging it to quickly unite to provide a credible, alternative ideological message to “Hindutva”. But this time, within hours of BJP hitting a “chaukka”, the Left has begun to subtly assail the BJP voter too.

What they really mean by ‘democratic deficit’

Some have observed with deep concern that BJP voters no longer think a political message riddled with “venom, hate, prejudice, violence, repression and deceit” is not a deal-breaker. It is being implied that BJP supporters have virtually abandoned their moral conscience outside the polling booth. And this, it is being said, is the surest sign that a catastrophic “democratic deficit” has opened in the heart of the polity.