BJP should be cordial to Opposition now: Shekhar Gupta

The country is still trying to understand the rout Bhartiya Janata Party faced (BJP) in Delhi, barely eight months after it took over as the single largest party in a landslide win in general elections.

Journalist and columnist Shekhar Gupta says the result is a combination of factors like terrific campaigning by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), poor campaigning by BJP, over-the-top arrogance etc that went against the BJP. He examines the fact that BJP’s core voter of 33 percent has remained intact but the remaining has gone to AAP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi now has to be careful in maintaining cordial relations with Opposition and shake off sycophants. The BJP cannot assume that its numbers will keep growing like it did during 2014 general elections.

Gupta hopes the government will continue to with its amendment plans but that has to be done post discussion. Any policy decisions taken without taking the due course will reek of corporate indulgence.

But there is no pressure on the BJP to present a populist Budget since there is no big elections coming other than Bihar. Gupta thinks BJP will find it challenging to fight Bihar since Modi came to power only with 41 percent of votes and pre-poll alliances. So elections and politics are about alliances, which changes often, he said.