Political watchers noted that the opposition is avoiding addressing the Ram temple issue in order to prevent playing into the BJP’s communal rhetoric. However, it is believed that not addressing the temple could actually work in the opposition’s favor. Author and analyst Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay mentioned that the Ram temple issue is not resonating as much as the BJP expected in this election. Instead, economic concerns such as price rise and unemployment are what are resonating with voters and putting the BJP on the defensive.
Voters interviewed by CNA also agreed with this sentiment, stating that people will not vote on religious lines this time. Instead, they will vote based on development and as a way to protest against issues like unemployment, inflation, and rising prices. Surveys have shown that lack of jobs and the rising cost of living are top concerns for voters, indicating a shift away from religious-based voting to more issue-based voting.
Analysts believe that the opposition’s focus on people’s issues is proving to be beneficial for the alliance. By being cohesive and strategically contesting seats to minimize vote-splitting, the opposition may be able to dent the BJP’s target of improving its performance from the 2019 election. Additionally, a lower voter turnout in the initial phases of voting, compared to 2019, has made Prime Minister Modi’s ruling party more vulnerable. This has caused the BJP to be seriously worried about the opposition’s campaign.
It is unclear how campaigning on people’s issues will ultimately impact the election, but analysts believe that the BJP is taking the opposition’s challenge seriously. Mukhopadhyay even joked that Modi is the biggest publicist for the Congress manifesto, based on the number of times he has referred to it during campaigning. This suggests that the BJP is feeling the pressure from the opposition’s focus on economic issues like unemployment and rising prices, which are resonating more with voters than the Ram temple issue.
Overall, the opposition’s decision to focus on economic issues rather than the Ram temple appears to be gaining traction with voters and putting pressure on the BJP. By addressing concerns like unemployment and price rise, the opposition is resonating more with voters and potentially denting the BJP’s performance target. It remains to be seen how this shift in campaigning strategy will ultimately impact the election, but the opposition’s cohesive approach and focus on people’s issues are seen as advantageous in the current political climate.
