Communal polarisation is all that the BJP has in its arsenal to deter the voters from voting on the basis of caste, community, and the reputation of the local candidate
Suddenly in the run-up to the second round of voting, the Congress with hardly any prospect of forming the next government is being projected by Modi as a party that could come to power and seize the properties of unsuspecting voters.
Building on the familiar tagline of the Life Insurance Corporation of India’s Jeevan Anand policy, he has coined the slogan ‘Congress ki loot — zindagi ke saath bhi aur zindagi ke baad bhi (the Congress loots people during their lifetime and even after their death).’ This is, of course, hype. What has the BJP worried is the apathy of the voters in the first phase of polling, which has seen a 4 per cent fall compared to 2019. It indicates that the Hindu voters are not sufficiently moved by issues such as the Ram Temple, Article 370, and Viksit Bharat (Developed India), or by Modi’s charisma, to brave the summer heat to vote
If the low voter turnout is due to rising day temperatures, then things are likely to get worse as India moves into mid-summer. The polling schedule is long-drawn — lasting a record 44 days. As day temperatures rise so might voter apathy and fatigue….
https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/bjps-distorted-and-polarising-narratives-will-continue-2995957
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Communalism in Modern India: A Theoretical Examination (1986)
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