Earlier also, two governments of Narendra Modi had crossed the 100-day mark. But I do not remember that in 2014 or 2019 September, BJP has made such a splash in completing 100 days of government. This time there is something special. It is also a coincidence that this time the government completed 100 days on the day of Prime Minister Modi’s birthday. So, this became a special occasion for both BJP and the government. Programs were held at many places. Seva Saptah began.
This time too, the Prime Minister stayed in Gujarat on the occasion of his birthday and on the same day went to Odisha and inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of many big projects. When a tribal woman fed kheer to Modi, he said that now his mother is no more, who used to feed him jaggery on every birthday, but today a tribal mother fed him kheer. So, before the assembly elections in tribal-dominated Jharkhand, the Prime Minister specifically mentioned the love of a tribal mother.
On completion of 100 days of the government, Amit Shah held a press conference and gave details of the achievements of 100 days. On the other hand, the Prime Minister had said a day earlier in Gujarat and the next day in Delhi, Amit Shah said that projects worth Rs 15 lakh crore have been started in 100 days. Now the news has come that more schemes worth Rs 15 lakh crore will be started in the next 100 days. That means projects worth Rs 30 lakh crore will be started in 200 days.
The matter is not limited to projects only. Half a dozen big decisions have been taken in the completion of 100 days. A new pension scheme has been introduced which is similar to the old pension scheme. Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh has been announced for senior citizens above 70 years of age. The minimum export price fixed to reduce the export of onion and Basmati has been abolished.
The Waqf Board Bill has been introduced in Parliament and sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. And the Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the Ramnath Kovind Committee on one country, one election. Think, how much work has been done, how many decisions have been taken in 100 days
Now there are two questions. First is why is the government carrying forward its work on the scale of 100 days and second is what was the need to show such a grand display of 100 days’ achievements this time? The answer to both these questions is that Modi and Shah have a political need to create a positive atmosphere in the country and send a message to the public that despite the BJP’s majority being less, everything is going on as before. In fact, whatever questions are being raised or the perception being formed within the BJP and the Sangh about Narendra Modi’s leadership after the Lok Sabha election results, to answer them it is necessary to send a message that despite the majority being less, everything is fine.
The government has to tell that Modi is now completely in command and whether it is BJP or the allied parties, everyone’s support is with him. That is why full efforts have been made to get the support of allies on every issue. There is a need to send the message of positive atmosphere in the country also because BJP is on the backfoot in the assembly elections of four states. The current leadership of BJP has to perform well there somehow.
That is why BJP wants to give the message that the reason for not performing as per expectations in the Lok Sabha elections was a little anti-incumbency and a little people’s fatigue and the voters have given the message that BJP had to give in the Lok Sabha elections, which the BJP leadership has understood and started working accordingly.
Actually, the state elections are a litmus test for the BJP leadership. If the BJP is unable to perform well in four states, then a big challenge will arise before the leadership of Modi and Shah. The message of the BJP falling below the majority mark in the Lok Sabha elections itself is not good. 240 seats cannot be called very less but despite getting so many seats and forming the government, there is a stir in the BJP and many things have been said openly from the Sangh side.
The tone of BJP supporters has changed on social media as well. The result of getting fewer seats in the Lok Sabha elections is that there was so much rebellion after ticket distribution in Jammu Kashmir and Haryana. This did not happen earlier. The iron discipline of the party has been broken after the Lok Sabha elections. If BJP loses even in four states, then there will be a big stampede and chaos.
One reason to believe this is that BJP is not able to decide the name of the national president. When did it happen that the party had so much difficulty in deciding the national president? JP Nadda’s term ended in January itself. But for the Lok Sabha elections, his term was extended till June. That extended term also ended. Now he is working as an ad-hoc president. It is being said that the name of the president is not being decided due to the tussle between BJP and the Sangh. Suddenly the discussion has started about the return of Sanjay Joshi, who was pushed into the political wilderness some 20 years ago.
That is why a scale of 100 days has been set as a part of politics. It is being claimed that projects worth lakhs of crores of rupees have been started. Big announcements are being made. Big policy decisions are being taken. The general public as well as BJP workers are being given the message that everything is fine. But the message of everything being fine cannot last for long.
If the results of four states do not come in favour of BJP and the opposition parties form government in these states, then it will send a message of the decline of the leadership of Modi and Shah. Then that decline cannot be stopped by the Waqf Board Bill or Uniform Civil Code or One Country, One Election Bill. Then these bills will also be in trouble. It will become difficult for the government to pass the bills and work in the Parliament. The morale of the opposition will increase. Its strength will increase and in the same proportion, the disunity within the ruling coalition will increase and morale will fall.
Then no one knows what will happen in Bihar after that. No one can tell what Nitish Kumar will do if he loses in four states including Jharkhand. Still, showing his charisma for 100 days will give immediate relief but for the charisma to remain for a long time, it will be necessary for the BJP to perform well in four states.