In 2014 LS elections, 31% OBC voted for BJP which increased to 36% in 2019. In this shift among OBC towards BJP, urban lower and poor income class migrants have been instrumental as they seemed to be convinced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s developmental model for prospects of better livelihoods. Poor urban migrants, a majority of whom belong to OBC groups and continue to have roots in their respective villages, have been rethinking if they would still like to vote for BJP. This may open up opportunities for regional parties to reach out to these newly returned to do all that they could, to ease their sufferings and breaking them back in their fold.
Since Congress was still lying low-unlikely to revive before states like Bihar this year and West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerela next year to the polls these migrants who have returned might shift their vote towards regional parties in these states. If sizeable numbers of them decide to shift their vote away from BJP it would certainly dent BJP’s support base which by default would strengthen the political base of regional parties.
Regional parties may not be able to capture power in all states but their sizeable presence in the state assemblies might compel the ruling party to build better ties and have more consultations with these regional parties. This is why; BJP under Modi must walk that extra mile to resolve the looming migrant labour crises.
What a federal country like India needs is consultative thinking not only for its fight again corona epidemic, but for any policy which has implications for its federating units. However, as things wore on, some states started erecting fences and digging trenches on borders that they share with other neighbouring states, some others have been reluctant in accepting migrant labourers back in their fold.
Activating federal bodies like the Inter State Council to establish a dedicated Covid-19 monitoring and coordination mechanism could be a plausible way out of the current chaos as India tries to emerge from its lockdown. Most importantly however, a new discourage must be started now when the nation is facing an unprecedented economic crises.
Aishwarya Says:
I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.
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We are also running a series Inspirational Women from January 2021 to March 31,2021, featuring around 1000 stories about Indian Women, who changed the world. #choosetochallenge