Brand Modi on the decline? Analyzing the 2024 Electoral Landscape

 

In 2014, a wave of anti-incumbency swept across India, propelling Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a decisive victory. Citizens, disillusioned by the corruption scandals and perceived inefficiencies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), turned out in large numbers to oust a decade-long regime. Modi’s promise of development and good governance resonated with a populace hungry for change.

Fast forward to 2024, despite the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) delivering numerous high-profile initiatives like Startup India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Smart Cities, and Make in India, as well as fulfilling the long-standing promise of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the BJP failed to secure the 272-seat majority, falling short by 40 seats. This begs the question: why did the electorate, especially in pivotal regions like Ayodhya, turn away from a party that seemed to have delivered on many of its promises?

The Disconnect with Young Voters

One significant factor in this electoral shift is the changing demographic landscape of India. With over 18.5 million first-time voters aged 18-19 and a substantial portion of the electorate under 30, the aspirations and expectations of young Indians are vastly different from those of previous generations. This demographic, born into a rapidly globalizing world and exposed to diverse perspectives through the internet and social media, is less interested in traditional caste and religion-based politics. Instead, their focus is on tangible issues that directly impact their futures: employment, economic stability, inflation control, and merit-based opportunities.

 Employment and Economic Concerns

The promise of job creation has been a cornerstone of Modi’s electoral promises. Initiatives like Make in India and Startup India aimed to foster entrepreneurship and generate employment. However, the implementation and impact of these programs have been uneven. Many young voters feel that the job market remains challenging, with high competition and insufficient opportunities matching their qualifications. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, leading to widespread economic disruption and further straining job prospects.

Inflation and Cost of Living

Inflation is another critical concern for young voters. Rising prices of essential goods and services have strained household budgets, making daily life more difficult for many. While macroeconomic factors contribute to inflation, the government’s economic policies and their effectiveness in managing these pressures are under scrutiny. Young voters, who often manage tight budgets while starting their careers, are particularly sensitive to these economic challenges.

The Reservation Debate

The reservation system in India, intended to address historical injustices and provide opportunities for underprivileged communities, remains a contentious issue. Many young voters advocate for a merit-based system, feeling that reservation policies sometimes impede their chances for education and employment. The BJP’s stance on this issue, coupled with its broader socio-political agenda, may not align with the aspirations of this demographic.

Hindutva and Social Cohesion

While Hindutva has been a rallying point for BJP’s core supporters, it appears to resonate less with the younger, more cosmopolitan voters. This demographic is more likely to prioritize inclusive policies that foster social cohesion and national unity over religious and caste-based agendas. The recent electoral results suggest that a significant portion of young voters may perceive the BJP’s emphasis on Hindutva as divisive, detracting from pressing economic and social issues.

A Call for Real Change

The 2024 election results are a clear signal that the BJP needs to recalibrate its strategy. Young voters are looking for a government that addresses their real-world concerns with actionable solutions. Employment generation, inflation control, educational reforms, and a merit-based system are at the forefront of their priorities. The BJP must transition from symbolic victories and ideological rhetoric to substantive policies that deliver measurable improvements in the lives of everyday Indians.

Conclusion

The decline in Brand Modi's appeal among a significant portion of the electorate, particularly young voters, highlights a critical juncture for the BJP. To regain its footing, the party must listen to the voices of the younger generation and pivot towards addressing their genuine needs and aspirations. The era of relying solely on ideological and identity politics is waning, and the demand for practical, inclusive governance is rising. It is high time for the NDA to reflect, reassess, and take bold steps towards real change, ensuring that the promise of development and good governance is not just rhetoric but a lived reality for all Indians.

Refurbished Phones: A solution to global e-waste problem

If you are planning to buy a new smartphone or a laptop, the following points will help you decide whether you should go for a refurbished or a brand new product. But remember buying a refurbished phone or a laptop is as good as buying a new one.

1. Do you have limited budget to buy a high-end smartphone/laptop?
2. Do you feel the urge to change your phone every 6 months or so?

If the answer to above two questions is YES, then you should go for a refurbished one. 

You could say that Refurbished and Second-hand are the same; they have both been used and not bought new. Refurbished, however, differs from second-hand because Refurbished goods are checked and overhauled. Refurbished goods are thoroughly tested for quality and function and, if necessary, parts are replaced or repaired. Then the device is cleaned and the data is deleted. The software is updated to the latest version.

• Refurbished smartphone market has grown by 15 per cent in 2021 when compared to 2022.

• A refurbished smartphone is a used phone that has been returned to the manufacturer.

• These phones are up to 60 per cent lower than their original prices.

We have shortlisted a great buy for a 5G enabled phone for you. Click on the link to buy.

Samsung S20 FE 5G

The other side of International Women's Day

It's actually awful that in today's tech enabled world we need to celebrate any type of this day so called International Women's day. But being celebrated world wide interprets that there would have been huge gender biasedness in the minds of the people. It's not about only women but all genders that need to be recognized by mere celebration of on some one day in the year. This women's day I would request all the opposite gender folks to have such open minds who can at least try to understand a few women around them. I don't find it to be major task. The only thing needed is listening to them while they are speaking and not hearing. Hearing and listening are two different things. Just listen to them what they are trying to tell you. They don't demand major, just some efforts of listening and that's all which can work for them. These women around may be your wives, daughters, friends, sisters, sister in laws or daughter in laws. Please be humble to them because you never know and never tried to follow what their heart and brain is telling. Otherwise a women is just a name with identity of her husband's name and a name of their mental health.

Bullying

 

“You never look good by trying to make someone else look bad”.

She was crying inconsolably and I asked her what made her cry. She kept on crying but didn’t utter a word. I did not know how to console her. So, I let her take her own time until her tears dried up and then I again asked her the same question. She was a student of 5^th standard where her class mates had named her kaali katti (black buffaloes’ calf) for her colour. I was shocked and speechless.  I tried to comfort her and then conducted a moral lesson class where I counselled students and made them understand that such actions are immoral and not acceptable. Next morning I prepared a lecture on bullying and delivered it in the assembly. If by giving one moral lesson, society change that easily then life would have been so easy. Was it enough for us to bring a change?

Just another day I was watching a video of some journalist updating us about the Covid status which is the hot topic today, there I noticed few cynical viewers were commenting on his looks, his dressing sense and all of that. It was totally in humane and unkind thing which made me really sad. My eight years old niece has become conscious eater and chooses dresses as which one will fit her in a way that she will look slimmer. Having healthy eating habits is appreciable but choosing this life style in too young age where she was supposed to be happy only, is actually worrisome. What kind of world we are presenting to our next generation. Should we not be concerned about the things our children are facing in schools and their personal lives?

 Bullying among students in school life is very common and I guess all of us have faced it in some time of our student life. For me, it may be possible that some years back children were not too much affected by this kind of leg pulling. Gradually it became trend to bully anyone for anything and no one ever bothered to take it seriously. It was taken very casually.  As the time passed by, this bullying has now become body shaming. Those people who were used to bully others in schools have developed a habit of body shaming on growing up.  They don’t realize how impactful their gestures are, for others in surroundings.

But in today’s era it has become a social issue, affecting children as well as older in many ways. Mental health of many of us is being affected. This issue is not a thing in schools only but on social media and societal gatherings also.

Change cannot be brought out be mere debates and discussions but by taking responsibility to change and it is possible only when we all get ourselves involved in changing these things at ground level. Guys it is high time where we as responsible parents need to teach our kids to respect other humans just for being humans and not for some kind of attractive looks. Children should be taught about compassion, affection and empathy for everyone around them and not just for their favourites. Respect each other for what and how they are and not for some special features otherwise we as humans will fail for developing a very dry and without any empathy society for our next generations where there is no humanity.

‘Changing today will be a change tomorrow.’

The author of this blog post is my wife, Chandni. Do share any instances of bullying if you had been a victim. Also share how can we bring a change in our society.

'This post is part of Blogchatter's CauseAChatter'  (https://www.theblogchatter.com/causeachatter)

Confessions: Pain in Soul

The phone buzzed under my pillow. I received the call and got the news of her death from COVID19. I was shattered completely. I felt as if all my energy oozed out of my body. I wanted to see her for the last time but again I couldn’t convince my mind to call on her number. Various memories started to flash back. 

We were not in touch for nearly two years. Our connection or affection or compassion never faded but we got so busy in our own lives dealing with various issues, we usually lose our old contacts and even our very close friends. She was one of my close friends. She was amazing person. I am a little selfish and choosy in making friends. She and I were together since college and then PG. It was not casual friendship, but some good bond was there. We had been friends for nearly 10 years. 

She was an amazing person, a lovely girl, a nice human being, very compassionate, beautiful and her dressing sense added to her personality. I am actually short of words to describe her. She was just a complete person. She used to lecture me for my many flaws which were annoying but the intention behind lecturing was quite clear that is love and care for me. She used to scold me for different issues. But I know she actually loved me as I do. 

After marriages usually girls don’t keep in touch with each other and here happened the same. The contact broke and I was like she is also doing well with her new married life. I want to confess here she do called me so many times but I really don’t know why I had not attended her calls. I was afraid to call on her number and made lame excuses of not being free but there came no thought of calling her back. I wished her new year but there came no reply and again I thought she might be busy with her new life and even thought maybe she had conceived or become a mother. I took this thing casually again. 

But on receiving her death news I made some calls and received very sad news as she was suffering from Leukemia for last one plus year and was in Delhi for her treatment. It broke me totally. I am depressed and shattered as I had lost an amazing and a very nice human being. She was love and kindness to me. I can’t forget you and forgive myself for not taking your calls. It will always be guilt and I deserve this. 

Folks, please do connect to your favorite's, as life is unpredictable. You never know whom you are going to lose next and I can’t describe the pain of not saying goodbye and that pain never let you sleep peacefully. I don’t know why she was calling, what she wanted to share and what she was suffering. I don’t even know what is more painful ‘losing her or not seeing her at her last moment, or guilt of not being available to her in those difficult times. I just want let her know that I wasn’t aware that you are enduring so much pain otherwise I would have been available to you. Take your time out of your busy schedule and do connect to all those who are your favorite as tell them how you feel about them and remain in touch otherwise you will not have time to describe that how much they matter to you. “I loved you so much”. I hope you are relieved of all the pains and now you are resting in peace. Wherever you are, I hope you will read this message and forgive me. Om Shanti!

"The author of this blog post is my wife, Chandni. If you do like the story, do comment below with your feedback and suggestions how to overcome the guilt or sadness she is having in her heart".

'This post is part of Blogchatter's CauseAChatter'  (https://www.theblogchatter.com/causeachatter)'

The Boundaries of Sanity by Mira Saraf: (Book Review)

  

                                               

Mira Saraf has beautifully crafted five stories of five different people who are dealing with a variety of mental issues in the form of guilt, anxiety, self-image and so on.

Story 1 - Solitary Confinement 

The first story is about a woman named Mrinalini dealing with a situation of solitary confinement on an unknown island and constantly dealing with her inner demons. The story somehow reminded me how Tom Hanks got stuck on an island for several years all alone in the movie ‘Cast Away’.  

Story 2 - Spilling over the edges

Guilt is a feeling which if done cannot be changed. The Second story is about a woman engulfed with guilt imagining her married life with Reyansh falling apart. 

Story 3 - Senseless Worries

The third story is about how Tanya who recently got separated from her husband starts suspecting her friend, Amrita whom she gave asylum to after she got separated from her husband. She is dealing with an injury on her arm which looks like some serious disease.

Story 4 - The Mirage

The fourth story is about the author who is writing a novel one day and suddenly some hallucinations cause her mind to believe there are things which actually don’t exist in reality. 

Story 5- The Storyteller 

And the last story is about the journey of a man through time and thoughts. During his travel he finds his right muse and thus discovers his lost passion.

The book is short and can be finished in one go. The language is very easy to understand, however it makes the reader confused. At times I felt as if all the stories are connected with each other. The stories are very sadistic in nature as all stories have the main character going through some sort of aloofness. If you are a person who loves to read humor, then this book is not for you. Personally, I liked the first story “The solitary confinement”. The reason is simple as I could relate the main character in the story with Tom Hanks in the movie Cast Away.

Do click on the Amazon link and enjoy reading all five stories in one go and that too in #Kindle edition. 

Rating: 3.5/5

                                                                        

Unspoken- A bouquet of Short Stories (Book Review)

It has been quite a while ago since I read a book. I am so much engrossed with my mundane life that I hardly get time to sit and read. A month ago, I logged in to #Blogchatter and updated my profile. I promised myself to get back to my old routine of writing blogs and reading books. I applied for book review program by #Blogchatter and found many authors offering their collection up for reading review. Out of so many books, I choose the 'Unspoken: A bouquet of Short stories" by Ms. Sadhana Wadhwa. I received my ebook from the author on Feb 8, 2021 and I would like to confess that until yesterday I didn't get time read the ebook. Yesterday I received the email from the author asking for a review if I had read the book. I felt ashamed at myself. I put a note in my task list for today and completed the entire book in one hour and that too in the waiting lounge of my daughter's playschool. For this I want to seek apologies from the author for the unnecessary delay in writing the review.

Now about the book or rather ebook. This book definitely a treat for book reader's especially those who are not so used to reading large novels or stories. This will give the beginners a good start to get into the mood of reading habit. It is a collection of  seven enriching stories of people around us. If I have to explain the seven stories in one line, here is what I have to say.

 

1. Deliverance: The story is about the dilemma of a married woman to choose to save her husband's life over her new-born child.

 

2. Unfinished Business: It is true that life seldom gives us a chance to rectify past mistakes but when it does, we shouldn't let go of the second chance. The story revolves around two persons Mihir and Jaya who coincidentally get another chance to live together.

 

3. Stella: The unusual friendship between Stella and Maya and their final acceptance of the truth.

 

4. Three To Tango: Bollywood has gave us umpteen movies with love triangle. This is a love story of Rishaan, Kiara and Diya. Read this fascinating story to know who will get the love and who walks away.

 

5. The Date: This is the story which I really liked by the kind of suspense author has kept it right until the end. It is a story about Aditi’s unusual date with a loved one.

 

6. A Twist Of Fate: The story of unfortunate fate that awaited the protagonist, Shantanu. After reading the story, I literally got goosebumps. 

 

7. The Doll: A suspense thriller about a talisman doll found by an elderly couple in their apartment.

 

After reading the story, I felt a feeling of Deja Vu as I have heard this story before. The language used is very easy to understand without use of any bombastic words of English.  The author has initiated the stories in a very compelling manner and held the reader's attention until the end when the climax is revealed. A big thank you to Ms. Sadhana Wadhwa for sending such a wonderful book for review. I eagerly look forward to reading some more stories from you in future. Just one suggestion for your future books, please include a relevant and interesting cover page design which looks more appealing to the reader's. 

Do click the Amazon link below and enjoy reading all the seven stories in one go and that too in #Kindle edition.