"Congress-mukta Bharat" in progress!

I have been busy last few weeks, and did not see results of 2016 Assembly elections until last night. It was good to see BJP/NDA sweep Assam. The first statement of CM-designate Sarbanand Sonowal that his government will secure the border in two years inspires hope. Results from Kerala and West Bengal aren't bad either. Although BJP did not win many seats in either of the states, they opened their account in Kerala. More importantly, in both the states vote share of BJP/NDA was in double digits. In five years BJP will emerge as an alternative to present political formations in both the states.

While it is good to see BJP emerging stronger, it is equally heartening to see the decline of Congress. "Congress-mukta Bharat" is in progress! For the good of the nation, Congress has to be stripped out of power all over the country, and the Ghazi-Nehru-Gandhi family has to be denuded of any the political influence that they have over India. Presently Congress is left with control of Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand state governments, apart from Puducherry and few states in the North East. Uttarakhand, Congress will lose early next year. Himachal also goes to polls later next year. Congress is also bound to lose Karnataka in 2018.

Assam election results are worth spending pondering upon, because the conditions on the ground in Assam were materially the same in 2011 and 2016, and yet the results have been so different. BJP should have won in 2011 the way they won last week. But BJP came 5th with 5 seats out of 124, while Congress triumphed on 78. In 2016 NDA has won 84 seats with a vote share of over 40%. A huge jump from 5 seats to 84 seats in 5 years. The difference between then and now is the difference between Advani's BJP, and the BJP of Modi-Shah. One of the reasons purported for Congress victory in 2011 was Hindu consolidation in favour of Congress to keep pro-Bangladeshi illegal immigrant AIUDF out of power. "Hindu consolidation in favour of Congress" - there can hardly be a bigger irony in Indian politics. Hindus were voting for a political party that enacted the disastrous anti-Hindu Illegal Migrants Determination Act. BJP being unable to project itself as a viable alternative to Hindus of Assam was its failure in 2011. Modi-Shah's BJP of 2016 succeeded in doing what the BJP of 2011 had failed to do. By forging a successful alliance with AGP, and BPF, BJP ensured unity of all anti-illegal immigrant forces in the state, giving them a resounding victory.

Good days lie ahead for BJP, for Assam, and for India. "Congress-mukta Bharat" is in progress.