2024 Lok Sabha poll is a transformative moment in our politics: Ashwani Kumar

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, June 3

Former Union minister for Law and Justice Ashwani Kumar has described the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as a transformative moment in Indian politics.

In an interaction with The Tribune, Kumar said, “Several political parties have come together to challenge the dominance of the BJP under PM Narendra Modi. Whatever the poll result, it is clear that the BJP has taken centre stage in Indian politics with Modi as the most dominant leader. This election will test the boundaries of the exercise of constitutional power and the role of democratic institutions in a constitutional democracy. The results will also determine the contours of power dispersed between the three organs of the Indian state. It will also tell us whether the alternative narrative of the INDIA bloc centered around saving the democracy and Constitution has a popular resonance.”

On Punjab, Kumar said, “The emergence of AAP has obvious electoral implications for traditional parties like SAD, BJP and Congress. Also, the breakup of the SAD and BJP alliance and farmers’ agitation will have significant political implications. I believe the SAD will consolidate its traditional vote bank and may win on one or two seats. The BJP would have done exceptionally well despite farmers’ protest and breaking of alliance with SAD in case it retains Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur seats.” He said the main contest in Punjab is between the Congress and AAP.

Kumar complimented the INDIA bloc and Congress leadership in putting up a spirited fight against the dominant BJP at the national level. “In what was initially seen as a David vs Goliath fight turned into a commendable pushback against the Modi government by the Congress and alliance partners. Having said that, it is equally true that this has been a highly polarised election defined by an assertion of a majoritarian identity in the country. I will not be surprised if the BJP under PM Modi scores a hat-trick, although with a reduced number of seats. But elections are never over until the results are announced. We should, therefore, wait for June 4.”

On the post-election scenario, he said, “Irrespective of which side wins, the kind of bitterness this election campaign will leave behind will have serious consequences for the future of our democracy. Several divides in the social and political structure of our society have been heightened. Personal animosities and an unprecedented campaign of calumny will make broad political consensus on key national policies a virtual impossibility.”

Kumar said, “The casteist and religious divide has been accentuated as never before which can hollow out our democracy. Also, the large-scale alienation of religious minorities by the ruling dispensation does not augur well for the social harmony and political stability of the country.”

On a possible one-nation-one election scenario in case of the BJP victory or removing a cap on caste reservations if the INDIA bloc comes to power, the former law minister said that depending on the political judgment of the ruling party of the day, certain far-reaching amendments to the Constitution without necessarily amending its basic structure could be possible.