Daijiworld Media Network Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, Nov 16: After sweeping the MCC elections, BJP of Dakshina Kannada especially in the constituencies of Mangaluru North and Mangaluru South, has proved it has become an easy choice for the common man.

Analysts say that the inner conflicts and poor ground work by the Congress party workers helped BJP achieve clear majority. The inner conflicts and rebel voices are not a new thing for Congress. Even in the previous state assembly election, dissent within the party led to the downfall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition. Dissent was evident within Congress even during the Lok Sabha polls.

Defeat in MCC election has hit Congress hard, as MCC was a stronghold of the Congress. After facing defeat, a Congress leader openly declared, “We are like this only. It looks like we will never change.”

For BJP, the victory was predicted. From 20 seats, the party jumped to victory with 44 seats. At the time of campaign, BJP party leaders and workers did not target Congress, its corporators and Congress’ administration in the last five years. Instead, it focused on demonstrating new vision for Mangaluru and quick solutions for the issues that irritates the residents of the city. Using this strategy, they connected with the locals.

Same time, after back to back victories, BJP party workers never showed overconfidence. As a cadre party, the members did their ground work with a proper plan. They had clear idea on how to achieve victory. Besides the political campaign, the BJP members gave priority to minorities. They kept the Christian and Muslim leaders who are not active in Congress in close contact. They kept a close watch on their opponents and took advantage of the inner conflicts. But Congress failed to understand BJP's strategy.

Sources in BJP reveal that the party never contacted the dissatisfied Congress candidates and workers. After the announcement of candidates, some Congress candidates and leaders voluntarily knocked the door of BJP and offered unconditional support for BJP candidates. By knowing the popularity and capacity to lead the people, BJP gave importance to leaders who were earlier in Congress. Asha D’Silva is one of them and she got ticket in BJP and gave tough competition to the Congress candidate.

The working style of Congress corporators kept the voters away?

Ward members representing people in panchayat, municipality or corporation are always known as people’s representatives. Even though they contest elections under the banner of their respective political parties, once elected, people do not consider them as politicians.

By their working style, behaviour and the public relationship they maintain, the elected representatives can attract people towards their party. A ward member’s achievement always benefits his/her party. But in the case of Mangaluru City Corporation, there was wide common opinion that the ruling Congress corporators never tried to get in touch with the voters of their wards. Only few succeeded in keeping relationship with citizens of their wards. The lavish lifestyle of some Congress corporators who roamed with a huge following, created a gap between them and citizens. People noticed their greediness and attitude and planned to send them home.

It is true that Mangaluru city witnessed tremendous development in last five years. But issues like artificial flood, scarcity of drinking water, drainage, potholes, epidemics like dengue, malaria made people to have negative impressions of the administration. The Congress party and its corporators failed to respond to people’s concerns.

Secondly, the Congress failed to depute an energetic and popular face as Mayor during its final term. As a political strategy, every ruling party during its final year explains its achievements, developmental projects to the people. But the Congress made Bhaskar Moily as a Mayor who was very poor in public communication. Some said when Congress elected its Mayor based on faction politics, BJP has foreseen its victory.

Do minorities have soft corner for BJP?

There is a new discussion among political analysts that by pointing fingers at BJP as a communal party, Congress itself turned into a communal party. It applies to the Congress party at the all India level. Somewhere, Congress purely becomes the party of the Muslim community and in some other parts it purely becomes the voice of Christians. By disrespecting Supreme Court’s verdict on Ayodhya issue in Kerala and with its decision to support Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Congress has shown that it has a Hindu communal agenda. At the same time, BJP is trying to shed its ‘communal’' label by trying to get closer to minorities. In Goa and North Eastern states, BJP has adopted its strategy area-specific policies and it is working.

In the case of Mangaluru, the Christian and Muslim communities started playing practical politics. The victory of BJP candidates in Muslim and Christian majority areas clearly shows it. In many wards, Muslims and Christians led the BJP’s victory march and celebrations which clearly indicates that Congress cannot expect more from these communities in future days. Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath, with strong hold on Christian community, succeeded in attracting them towards his party. Bharath Shetty, MLA, Mangaluru North has maintained constant touch with Muslim community who have opposed former MLA Mohiuddin Bava.

BJP is also planning to improve Mangaluru's image as a region of communal harmony. It is also learnt that in coming days, large number of Christian and Muslims will join BJP and get important positions in party.

“For Congress which has lost at all levels, there is a need to construct the party from ground level using innovative ways. In the MCC elections, the voters showed Congress leaders where they stand. To make a comeback, party members have to reconcile differences and rework on strategies,” says a former Congress worker who recently joined BJP.