WITH LOSSES IN THE RECENT state elections, the BJP’s dream of securing a majority in the Rajya Sabha has been pushed back. It is unlikely to be fulfilled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s current term. To build on its current tally of 93 seats in the 245-member house, the BJP would have to perform exceedingly well in next year’s Uttar Pradesh elections. This explains why the party’s focus has already shifted to the politically significant state.
The BJP was hoping that a win in Bengal would offset the losses in the upper house likely to happen because of its subpar performance in the 2018 Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh elections. However, the Trinamool won 213 of 294 constituencies, which means it would retain most of its seats in the upper house. The tenure of 77 Rajya Sabha members will end in 2022.
The BJP’s worries are manifold. The recent results have thrown up organisational challenges because of the strong cadre support for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee; imports from the Trinamool were of little help. Before the BJP’s rise, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had laid the foundation for the saffron party to emerge as the main opposition in Bengal. The RSS is now eager to grow that base as the massive mandate for Mamata, where Muslims consolidated behind her, also destroyed the Congress-Left front.
Bu hikaye THE WEEK dergisinin June 06, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye THE WEEK dergisinin June 06, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
War Over Wounded Earth
For the BJP andthe Congress, the ravaged farmlands of Vidarbha represent a cxitieal battleground in their larger struggle to win Maharashtra
Say no to continual elections
Following the recommendations of a high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind to streamline the widely scattered schedule of national, state and local elections, the Union cabinet has reportedly approved two constitutional amendment bills for likely introduction in Parliament. Predictably, the return of the ‘one nation, one election’ issue to news has set off a flurry of objections by several opposition leaders.
Fabulously, fashionably funny
The third season of the Karan Johar-produced Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives dropped on Netflix, but articles criticising the show appear in some news site or the other almost daily. If it is so bad, why keep writing about it? And if it is so bad, why would the superpowers at Netflix, who are harder to meet than the prime minister, commission the show season after season?
All in the family
The Chitaras have been passing down the secret art of Mata Ni Pachedi through generations for more than 400 years now
Raise a toast to Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan is a New Year baby. At 45, she is aglow in the most beautiful way, having won the hearts and admiration of countless fans across the world, who watched the supremely talented actor take a public tumble on stage at a high-profile promotional event recently, sharing the platform with no less a dancer than the eternally graceful Madhuri Dixit.
Death no bar
Being alive is not a legal requirement to be elected president of the United States
The Lotus POTUS
You should visit us one of these days— there is so much excitement in our USA! No, I don’t mean the famous USA—the Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association of Mumbai.
RAY OF HOPE
Actor and cancer survivor Lisa Ray talks to oncologist Dr Jame Abraham about inner strength and her surrogacy journey
LEVERAGE AI TO ENHANCE WORK
AT THE WEEK Health Summit, Siddharth Bagga, head (retail, CPG and health care), Google Cloud, elaborated on the significant work that Google has been doing in health care through artificial intelligence (AI).
PRESSURE POINTS
Author and MP Shashi Tharoor and motivational speaker Gaur Gopal Das on how to find healing and meaning in today's world