Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power – the politics of destabilisation – Part – I

The destabilisation of Gandhi family – failed miserably

Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  Narendra Modi started destabilisation with the Gandhi family, his first target in the process.  Old cases were dug up to reach to its logical conclusions but it was not so.

Central Bureau Investigation and Enforcement Directorate questioned Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for hours.  The Agencies failed to get them arrested in National Herald Case or citizenship case or on Rahul Gandhi’s British passport case or defamation cases, in particular.  The BJP trollers subjected her to a barrage of derogatory terms and insults.

The family of Lallu Prasad Yadav harassed

He dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  The entire family of Lallu Prasad Yadav, former Chief Minister of Bihar and Supremo Rastriya Janata Dal put on the radars of the Intelligence agencies for long.    His wife Rabri Devi, his daughter and son Tejasvi Yadav face investigations on many cases. The cases include land-for-job money laundering case, fodder scam, the IRCTC Scam, the cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) etc.

Nitish Kumar aides raided

He dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  Sanjeev Hans, the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Government of Bihar, a confidant of Nitish Kumar and former MLA Gulab Yadav were raided in a rape case.

It was said that a Red Diary had been confiscated from Nitish Kumar fund manager who was arrested and sent to jail. The Diary codes stated to had been linked to Janata Dal United funds, was the reason for Nitish Kumar flocking to BJP, since his Mr. Clean image would be jeopardised.

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation – Jagan Mohan Reddy routed in Andhra Pradesh

Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  Narendra Modi supported by EVMs and sponsored by Election Commission of India programmed or managed the EVMs in such a way so as to reduce Jagan into a misnomer wherein he could get only 11 seats.  He enabled to unseat YSR Congress of Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Telugu Desam led by Chanda Babu Naidu managed to form the government with 135 supported by Jana Sena with 21 and BJP with 8 seats.  In the Parliamentary elections TDP got 16, YSRCP – 4, BJP – 3 and Jana Sena Party.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) victimised

Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  Hemant Soren continued to face pressure from both the BJP and central investigative agencies. Despite the pressures, he maintained his position as the Chief Minister and sought to strengthen his political base, particularly among tribal communities and marginalized sections of society in Jharkhand.

Jharkhand saw another devastation. Chief Minister Hemant Soren was arrested because he resigned. The government was at the verge collapse but BJP did not succeed to install, a BJP Chief Minister.

Champai Soren, a close confidant of Hemant Soren was made Chief Minister.  Efforts made to further split the other constituents of Champai Soren government such as Congress.

However, Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren took over the Party reins and managed to win 3 MP seats and Congress managed 2 under INDIA alliance partnership.  Hemant Soren took over the reins of the government after his released from jail on bail.

Narendra Modi managed Champai Soren to break ties with Hemant Soren.  He now decided to form his own party to challenge Hemant Soren.  This is new technique adopted by Narendra Modi to check his rivals.  He might also join BJP. The rivalry between Hemant Soren and the BJP reflects broader national political dynamics, where regional parties often find themselves at odds since the central government led by the BJP.  Soren’s ability to navigate these challenges will be crucial for his political future and because of the stability of his government in Jharkhand

Splits made in the Parties of Maharashtra

Shiv Sena Party

The Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray contested the 2019 elections in alliance with the Bhartiya Janata Party. The alliance won a majority, but disagreements over the sharing of the Chief Minister’s post arose. Shiv Sena demanded an equal duration of Chief Ministership, which the BJP refused.

Due to the impasse with the BJP, Shiv Sena, decided to form Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance with ideologically different parties—the Nationalist Congress Party and the Indian National Congress. The alliance made Uddhav Thackeray Chief Minister of Maharashtra in November 2019.

The decision to align with the Congress and NCP led to dissatisfaction among some Shiv Sena leaders and party workers. The Shiv Sena traditionally aligned with the BJP, sharing a common Hindutva ideology. The new alliance was seen as a departure from the party’s ideological roots, causing unease within certain factions.

In June 2022, Eknath Shinde, a senior leader of Shiv Sena and an influential figure within the party, led a rebellion along with several other MLAs. The defection reduced the strength of Uddhav Thackeray’s faction in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, threatening the stability of the MVA government.

As the political crisis deepened, Uddhav Thackeray resigned as Chief Minister on June 29, 2022, ahead of a trust vote. Subsequently, Eknath Shinde, with the support of the BJP, formed a new government. Shinde was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)

The split of the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra was a significant political event that created ripples in the state’s politics. The party, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, had been a key player in Maharashtra’s political landscape.

On July 2, 2023, a major split occurred in the NCP when Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew and a senior leader within the party, along with a group of NCP legislators, joined Bhartiya Janata Party led government in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar became the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Narendra Modi dismantles the rule of Naveen Patnaik

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  The 2024 Odisha Assembly elections marked a significant political shift, as the Bhartiya Janata Party managed to dethrone Naveen Patnaik, after 24 years of dominance in the state. The BJP won 78 out of the 147 seats in the Odisha Assembly, securing a majority and thus forming the government. The BJD got 51 seats, a dismal performance. It marked the first time the BJP formed a government in the state.  This electoral debacle ended Naveen Patnaik’s long tenure as Chief Minister which he served since 2000.

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation – Yediyurappa in and out in Karnataka

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  The BJP led by Yediyurappa became the Chief Minister of Karnataka for the first time in 2007, it was short-lived. The BJP formed a coalition government with the Janata Dal (Secular), but the alliance fell apart, leading to his resignation within a week.

In 2008, the BJP won a significant victory in the state elections, and Yediyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister. The tenure, however was also marred by allegations of corruption.

In 2011, Yediyurappa was forced to resign after being implicated in a land allocation scam. The charges led to his arrest and detention for a brief period. His resignation marked a turbulent phase for the BJP in Karnataka, as internal divisions and leadership challenges emerged.

In 2012, after his fallout with the BJP over the corruption charges, Yediyurappa left the party and formed his own outfit, the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP). However, the KJP failed to make a significant impact in the 2013 state elections, splitting the BJP’s vote bank and contributing to the Congress’s victory.

Yediyurappa dissolved the KJP and rejoined the BJP in 2014 because this return was a strategic move to consolidate the BJP’s Lingayat vote base, which he had a strong influence over.

In the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, but it did not secure an outright majority. Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister, but he resigned after two days, unable to prove a majority in the assembly.

Yediyurappa became Chief Minister again in 2019 after the collapse of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government. In July 2021, Yediyurappa resigned as Chief Minister amid growing pressure from the BJP’s central leadership and internal party dynamics.

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation – BJP Politics in Jammu & Kashmir

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  After a hung verdict in the 2014 state elections, Bhartiya Janata Party entered into an alliance with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir to form government in March 2015.   Both had different ideologies but power brought them together.

Their relations strained from the beginning due to regional priorities. Key issues that led to tensions included rising militancy and violence in the Kashmir Valley, killing of journalist Shujaat Bukhari and the controversial handling of the Kathua rape case.

By June 2018, the BJP found it untenable to continue in the coalition, citing increased terror activities and radicalization in the valley. This led to the BJP pulling out of the alliance, resulting in the imposition of Governor’s rule in the state.

Since the end of the BJP-PDP coalition, there were no signs of the two parties renewing their alliance.  Under the Central rule, Jammu and Kashmir saw abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which changed the political landscape of the region by turning the state into a Union Territory.  On the intervention of the Supreme Court of India, elections were announced to be held in October, 2024.

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation – Mollification Ghulam Nab Azad by Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi dismantles most of the families in his pursuit of power- the politics of destabilisation.  Ghulam Nabi Azad, a former member of the Indian National Congress distanced himself from the Congress party and formed a new political outfit in Jammu and Kashmir after decades of service. He held several important positions, including Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister, and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

Over the years, Azad became increasingly vocal about his dissatisfaction with the Congress leadership, particularly its handling of internal party affairs. He was part of the “G-23” group of Congress leaders who, in 2020, wrote a letter to the party high command, demanding internal reforms and a more active leadership.

Azad’s relationship with the Congress leadership continued to sour, especially with Rahul Gandhi’s style of leadership. Azad and other senior leaders felt sidelined, and their concerns were not adequately addressed by the party’s top brass.

In August 2022, Azad resigned from all positions in the Congress party, citing the lack of internal democracy and Rahul Gandhi’s alleged immaturity as reasons. His resignation marked a significant moment, given his long association with the party.

After his resignation, Azad announced formation of a new political party focussing on the specific needs and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In September 2022, he launched Democratic Azad Party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly acknowledged Azad on various occasions, appreciating his work and contribution, which was seen as a gesture of mutual respect. This interaction was perceived by some as an attempt to mellow Azad and possibly sway him away from the Congress.

Azad’s departure from Congress and his new political endeavour could align with the broader strategic interests of the Bhartiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir.  Azad’s move added a new dimension to the politics of Jammu and Kashmir ( End of Part – I)