It's undeniable that, despite everything, BJP would easily win if the country went to polls today. While the majoritarian rhetoric has been its core electoral strategy, the key problem remains the fact that the Indian voters are still convinced that there is no alternative.
The repeated, assertive offensive of the Opposition clearly isn't working. If anything, it's strengthening the foundations of the BJP voters' trust in their own choice. It's not bringing the fence-sitters back to the fold and unless that happens, there's no hope for change.
What can the opposition do about this? Is there something new they can come up with, something outside the box which can make a change in the voting pattern? Is anyone trying anything new despite clearly knowing that the old tricks are not working?
Here's a suggestion:
> Opposition party to form an alternate Cabinet
> Assign each portfolio to specific individuals
> Have them comment on each policy decision in their department and offer alternative positions
With some good marketing, this structure could make a difference.
> Opposition party to form an alternate Cabinet
> Assign each portfolio to specific individuals
> Have them comment on each policy decision in their department and offer alternative positions
With some good marketing, this structure could make a difference.
Each opposition party can do this separately, thereby making it a group discussion instead of a bilateral argument. Maybe this is too much of a wishful thinking, but such a structure will change the electoral agenda among the urban middle+upper class voters.
When the agenda changes for the average voters and they start engaging with policy arguments, the impact that their identity has on their voting choice will diminish. This change among the voters will also force the Republics of TV media to change their strategies for the better.
In the end of this, it's possible that the average voter find an alternative to their current voting choice. It's possible that they don't fall for fake news as much as they do now due to the better engagement. It's possible that we find a light at the end of the tunnel.
