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One day, it is top of the world. The next day, it’s the bottom of the barrel. The 3-state victory! And, then, the Supreme Court dismisses the Rafale deal as a matter of concern. That the deal should go through despite all the noise surrounding it. The Congress has to now rephrase its election-winning slogan ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ even as election-hurt #BahJahPah plans to go to town with the rhetoric that the Congress won MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with a ‘Big Fat Lie.’

BHOPAL: The selection of Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh chief minister has been welcomed not only by the majority of Congress legislators but also by and large by the people of the state. Kamal Nath becomes chief minister with vast experience as a central minister, in which capacity he handled a number of ministries. Besides this, credit goes to him for bringing back Congress to power. His selection was preceded by marathon discussions in which besides Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi too participated. It appears that Sonia Gandhi’s intervention clinched the deal in favour of Kamal Nath.

The bank employees of the country are planning actions against the government policies in the bipartite negotiations for a new wage agreement in the banking industry as also the moves for the privatization of the banks and amalgamation of the three public sector banks. The United Forum of Bank Unions led by AIBEA have decided to observe strike on December 26 in all banks of the country protesting against the proposed amalgamation of three public sector banks-Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank.

On 6 December 2018, Swiggy workers in Chennai went on a strike and their colleagues in Pune had done the same in November 2017.

The political scenario of India is taking a new direction. The recently held elections of five states show that the electorates are taking decisions in such a matured fashion that it has taken many election pundits by surprise. Surely, accountability is sought from the political parties on governance and delivery. In the election battle of India, political narrative is always based on GDP which are Governance, Dynasty & Polarization. Every political party derives strength from this GDP. But maintaining the order of this GDP as far as importance is concerned is very important. If you change this order of narrative to impress voters, it can backfire. The recent election result is a reflection of that only. Once again voters have reminded the political bosses that governance comes first, rest follows after that.

It’s cyclical, the reign at the helm. Never lasting. If it does, that will be monarchy. The closest independent India has been to monarchy is elected dynasty-rule. The BJP made dynasty an election issue, ever so often raking up the anachronism. But ‘Naamdar’ and “Kaamdar’ cannot be used by Narendra Modi any longer. It will ring false after the 5-state elections. And the Congress will not be allowed the privilege of bestowing respectability on Modi by calling him ‘Chaiwalla.’ These catch words are out the window.

According to the narrative repeated by most news sources, the “Gilets Jaunes” (Yellow Vests) uprising began ‘spontaneously’ on Saturday, November 17, when approximately 300,000 activists, incensed by a heavy regressive tax on fuel, began a series of roadblocks and protests which snowballed across France.

The results of the assembly elections in the three states-Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have underlined the need for total unity of the opposition parties including the Congress, BSP and the Samajwadi Party. The Congress has done exceedingly well in Chhattisgarh on its own but in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the Party could have been in far more comfortable position if there had been a total alliance of the anti-BJP parties including the BSP and the SP. The Congress is finally forming the government in Madhya Pradesh with the support of two elected BSP members of the assembly . The solo member of Samajwadi Party as also four elected independents have extended support to the Congress to form the Government.

Election results of the five States’Legislative Assemblies speak about the dwindling support base of the BJP and the rising support base of the Indian National Congress (INC) especially in the states where both the national parties are in direct fight with each other. The situation is worrisome for the BJP and encouraging for the INC especially when Lok Sabha General Election 2019 is round the corner. However, the INC needs to tread more carefully because this only may not give them the rein of power at the centre since wherever they are in direct fight with the state parties, the INC candidates tend to be defeated by the regional party’s candidates.

From now to Lok Sabha elections 2019, the BJP will be on the wrong foot. The party has nothing to show for the 5-state elections. At fag-end 2018, the party cadre stand demoralised and the Modi-Shah election-machine is wrecked, beyond repair. What can the duo spring in the short time left to GE 2019, what can BJP offer to the distressed farmer – the tribal, the Dalit; urban voter – besides Jan Dhan and Ujwala; plunging rupee and rising petrol/diesel prices? The bad Press demonetization and GST got refuses to go away.