Opinion: BJP’s Obsession With Winning Is Leaving Its Foot Soldiers Behind |
There is little debate that the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) election machinery is the most formidable in the country. The party is perpetually in campaign mode -- planning the next battle even before the previous one is over.
Winning elections is, of course, the primary objective of any political party, and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. But the BJP's growing obsession with victory at any cost is increasingly coming at the expense of its own grassroots workers.
In its relentless pursuit of electoral success, the saffron party has made a habit of inducting leaders -- not only from rival parties but also from its allies -- often just weeks before the polls and promptly rewarding them with tickets. In this process, the party sidelines its foot soldiers -- workers who have strained relationships with their family and........