Well, first of all…I believe, it’s time for a quick vocabulary lesson (so at least we can understand the article in its present context). You see, in the world of politics, a big tent or catch-all party is basically a reference term used for that particular party which actually professes and uses a diverse mandate or viewpoint in order to appeal to a much wider electorate. That is, a catch-all party is one that actually has a heterogenous voter bank instead of a homogeneous one.
But before we move forward, here’s the etymological twist. Unlike the connotation of “catch-ALL”, the party does not actually capture “ALL” issues (for the fear that it will dilute its stance). Instead, the party actually picks up an important issue/objective or a fairly limited number of issues/objectives, thereby using that to catapult itself amongst the electorate by brining in the necessary unity that is required to meet those objectives.
Of course, if we take a leaf out of the history books, one such catch-all party was the Indian National Congress that was vehemently supported across India, spanning all Indians irrespective of class, colour, or creed; who came together in order to take on the massive British Empire. For a long time, the Congress party enjoyed its massive mandate, bringing in a much-needed unity amongst the people of this newly independent nation. However, the Indian National Congress could not sustain the momentum it had once gained!
Blinded by greed and petty politics, the Congress lost its political prowess while the country and its people once again became susceptible to the demons of discord and dissension. Which is why the meteoric rise of BJP as a unifying force amongst the people of India, warrants a much closer look and a much wider appreciation. In fact, we should not ask, “What did the BJP do?”; the question — for all intents and purposes! — actually needs to be, “What did the BJP ‘undo’?”
What the BJP undid was, in fact, the caste-line politics that most political parties had been partaking in…for way too-long. In fact, for once, the BJP actually managed to bring all voters — irrespective of their castes, class, religions and even gender — together to stand for peace, progress and prosperity. Thus, the BJP managed to finally purge the elections of its negative political narrative that focused on division and dissent, and actually managed to put a positive narrative in place, which was based on development.
Thus, it is not really strange to see that the electorate too has responded with positive enthusiasm…helping BJP emerge as the bastion of constructive politics, instead of destructive polemics. In fact, be it the massive win in the General Assembly elections or the massive rout in the recently-concluded UP polls, the BJP has finally proved that the country and its people are no longer willing to become a petty politician’s plaything. The country wants development…the country wants change…the country wants BJP!
