BJP Forced to Search for an Electoral Issue
Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Rights Yatra in Bihar has forced the BJP to search for an electoral issue for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. The huge crowds gathered by Rahul Gandhi and the resonance of his “vote theft” slogan among voters—especially Dalits and Muslims—has worried BJP workers. Their anxiety is evident in the shift of strategy. They are now downplaying the issues of infiltration and illegal migration, which they had tried to highlight through the “SIR.” Instead, they are attempting to provoke voters by highlighting the “insult” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother and blaming Gandhi for it.
In fact, this derogatory remark was made by an unidentified person at one of Gandhi’s rallies after Gandhi had already left the venue. Still, the BJP is trying to hold Gandhi responsible for it.
Another aspect of the BJP’s campaign is to question the silence on projecting Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial face, in an effort to create a rift between Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. When the RJD leader declared himself as the candidate for the chief minister’s post, Gandhi said nothing about it during their joint rally. However, BJP workers in Bihar remain unsure whether this dual strategy will be effective. Privately, they admit that the party had not anticipated Gandhi’s “vote theft” slogan to become so popular.
They acknowledge that, especially among Dalits and Muslims, raising the SIR issue right before a crucial election was a bad idea, as there are fears among them of being disenfranchised. The “vote theft” narrative is emerging in the same way the reservation issue worked against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the opposition managed to spread fear among quota beneficiaries that if the Modi government returned to power with 400 seats, their rights would be taken away.
Why Modi Stayed Away from China’s Military Parade
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had two strong reasons for staying away from the grand military parade in China that followed the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
First, the parade coincided with the day on which Japanese soldiers surrendered after their defeat in World War II. On his way to the SCO summit, Modi had also visited Japan to strengthen bilateral relations. If he had attended the parade on a day that was a day of humiliation for Japan, it would have sent the wrong signal to the Japanese.
More importantly, the purpose of the parade was to showcase China’s military power, with displays of advanced fighter aircraft and non-nuclear weapons. Some of these were used by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, and others could reach Pakistan in the near future, strengthening its military with China’s help. This spectacle would have been uncomfortable for the Indian Prime Minister, which is why he wisely returned home a day before the parade.
Modi was the only leader from an SCO member country who did not attend the parade. Although his Chinese hosts probably understood his reasons, social media users were not as forgiving. Some commented that in light of this episode, China cannot expect to be India’s “true friend.” Analysts of Chinese foreign affairs also expressed similar views. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, by arbitrarily imposing tariffs, is trying to dismantle the established global order—posing a challenge for India to strike a balance in the emerging new world order.
Why Jaishankar Was Not Part of Modi’s Delegation
One notable absence from Modi’s delegation to the SCO summit was that of Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. The official reason given was ill health. But few within the BJP agree with this explanation. The Foreign Minister almost always accompanies the Prime Minister on foreign trips, including to security-focused meetings like the SCO summit.
According to BJP sources, there are two possible reasons for his absence. First, Jaishankar is widely known for his pro-U.S. views. He may have been considered unsuitable for a summit aimed at sending a strong message to the U.S. that an alternative power bloc is taking shape.
Second, Jaishankar has recently been at the center of a social media controversy regarding his son’s association with the Reliance-funded Observer Research Foundation (ORF), which is considered a pro-U.S. think tank. Jaishankar’s son, Dhruva, heads ORF’s Washington D.C. office.
At the SCO meeting, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval played a very crucial role. It is worth recalling that when Doval recently visited Beijing, he was granted an audience with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Such an opportunity is rare for a foreign guest, and it highlights how effectively Doval has established rapport with the Chinese.