Karanataka Verdict Should be the Precursor to Modi Regime’s Waterloo in 2024 General Election ! — CPI (ML) Red Star
CPI (ML) Red Star extends wholehearted greetings to the people of Karnataka and declare it’s solidarity with them for derailing the fascist “double engine government” (Sanghi vision of BJP regime both at the Centre and State) in the State. With the Congress winning 136 seats out of the 224-member Assembly, this is the biggest lead for any single party in Karnataka over the past three-and-a-half decades whereas the incumbent lotus party’s plunge to 65, inspite of the full-fledged backing of the entire central and state administration including role of EVMs, corporate capital and media power, is ignominious. With its so much isolation and the blow it received from people being so severe, it has become well-nigh impossible at this juncture for the Sanghi managers to sabotage people’s verdict through horse-trading, in spite of the sale of Electoral bonds by SBI recording a gallop of almost 9 times on the eve of Karnataka poll compared with 2018 State election. With this election debacle, RSS/BJP has lost the only southern gateway that it has ruled so far.
With its far-right, most corrupt, pro-corporate, Manuvadi-Brahmanical agenda, led by Modi-Shah-Yogi trio, the RSS/BJP had an unprecedented, no holds barred anti-Minority (especially targeting Muslims), anti-Dalit and anti-women malicious election campaign in Karnataka. Modi himself led this venom spitting by leading 19 rallies and 6 road shows, followed by Amit Shah participating in 16 rallies and 15 road shows and Yogi also doing the same in many places along with most central ministers and BJP leaders following suit. Together with usual anti-Minority vows and practices such as extension of NRC to Karnataka, implementation of Uniform Civil Code, superimposition of ‘Special Police Wing against Muslim fundamentalism’, anti-cow and anti-conversion bills, ending of 4% Muslim reservation quota, vandalization of Muslim and Christian places of worship and prayer meets, continuous harrassing of Muslim girls in the name of hijab forcing them to quit studies, cow vigilante attacks and boycotting of Muslim traders, and so on, in accordance with the enemy no.1 status accorded to Muslims by Bunch of Thoughts, this time RSS/BJP leaders went another step ahead openly denying the need of Muslim votes, as a test rehearsal of their pace towards establishment of a Hindurashtra.
In the final phase of the election, Modi himself took over the leadership of this hate campaign by effectively using ‘Kerala Story’ manufactured by RSS think-tanks by unraveling it as ‘love jihad’ and terrorism’ which were already proved baseless by investigative agencies and even by Court. Islamophobia coupled with systematic attacks on Christian churches and deconstruction of Dalit community by tinkering with SC internal reservation thereby pitting one section of the oppressed against the other, and dragging them into the Hindutva fold based on the policy of divide and rule were ingenious fascist moves to cover up the horrific economic impact on the lives of people especially that of workers and oppressed and divert their attention from sky-rocketing prices of most essential items coupled with regime-sponsored corruption never seen before in Karnataka. During past five years of BJP rule, innumerable corruption scandals were in the news that gave It the nickname of “40% Commission Sarkar”. ‘Commission rate’ prevailing in government contracts are reported to be higher and even midday meal scheme of children has become a source of loot. Above all, being a far-right laboratory of corporate-saffron fascism, the Karnataka regime has been in the forefront of implementing all neoliberal policies including the draconian Farm Laws , though kept in abeyance at the Centre.
However, as the election results show, except among the depoliticized urban elite, the hectic campaign led by Modi had little impact on the vast majority of people. The rallies and road shows organised by BJP with both central and state administration at its command had only negative impact. For instance, of the 17 locations where Modi held high-profile rallies and road shows, BJP could win only 5 seats while it suffered the heavy loss of 22 seats in 36 reserved constituencies for SC. Karnataka election result effectively challenges the impression of invincible personality and charismatic speech attributed to Modi usually marketed by “godi media”. In view of the the declining “Modi effect”, RSS, the biggest and longest running fascist organisation for which BJP is only one of its political tools, may resort other options in the coming days.
Confining to Karnataka election, it shows a clear anti-fascist consolidation of votes on the part of the working people and oppressed including Dalits, Muslims OBCs against the wealthy,Brahmanical upper-caste BJP that openly rejected Muslims votes, as already noted. Unlike in the past, in Karnataka election the Congress seems to have abandoned it’s soft-Hindutva orientation by taking open position against Bajrang Dal like RSS outfits on the one hand, and promising to bring back 4% reservation quota to Muslims together with resolutely opposing Manuvad-based hate campaign that targeted especially Muslims and Dalits. Many sections of the broad Left, Democratic forces and a wide spectrum of intellectuals, cultural activists and concerned citizens came forward openly campaigning among people against RSS neofascism. This immensely politicised the people, mainly the rural masses to unite and avoid a split in anti-RSS votes.
In this context, while resolutely buliding up a left-democratic alternative against neoliberal-corporatisation, studying lessons from the Karnataka election that imparted a heavy blow to fascist forces, in the forth coming Assembly elections, the revolutionary left and progressive forces have to come forward to unite with all anti-fascist forces to defeat RSS fascism. This initiative, in continuation of the dethroning of BJP regime in Karnataka shall form the launching pad for an all-out offensive for defeating the Modi regime in the 2024 general election. No doubt, in view of its Karnataka debacle, the fascist regime will resort to all weapons in its arsenal to cling on to power, and it is upto the all anti-fascist forces in the country to rise to the ocassion with the broadest possible unity.
P J James
General Secretary
CPI (ML) Red Star
New Delhi
14th May 2023
