Why did the BJP Party Lose?

What were the reasons that the 380 million Indians voted out the Bharatiya Janata Party and elected the Congress Party led by Italian born Sonia Gandhi? During the campaign the BPJ focused on a pro-Hindu religious message along with the strong growth of the economy. According to the Guardian, my personal paper of record, the BJP highlighted the “8% growth, increased development and a surge in high tech industries” (AP). The problem that exists outside the developed areas, Bangalore, is poverty. As Lalita Law tells Friedman “alcoholism if rife and female infanticide and crime are rising” (Friedman, p.539).

The strategy of the Gandhi led Congress party was to focus on the 300 million extreme poor within India who are not benefiting from the economic growth. The Congress party focused on lack of basic infrastructure, electricity and water access for the rural poor. According to political columnist and member of the upper house Kuldip Nayar, “This is a verdict against globalization. Now the next government will have to think how to employ more hands, than machines” (AP)

If you listen to Nayar the vote was against globalization but really it was because the globalization is occurring at a slower pace than desired. The idea of Hindu nationalism used by the BJP was defeated for a more secular form of government. Thus both sides were correct though I saw nothing about environmental issues being part of the issues unless you look at basic infrastructure. One side note, 48 people were killed in election violence down from the 1999 election.

India’s Ruler Concedes Defeat, Associated Press, Guardian, Thursday May 13 2004, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/may/13/india2