Questions are asked as to who should be held responsible for the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the three northern states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh recently. There are arguments that it is not proper for Modi and Amit Shah to claim credit for victories and blame others when the party faces defeats.

Against this backdrop, the Sangh Parivar organisations are bringing pressure on BJP National President Amit Shah to accept responsibility for the decline in electoral fortunes. One Sangh leader has even proposed the name of Madhya Pradesh former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s name for replacing Amit Shah. He says Amit Shah’s services may be utilised in the Parliament rather than the party all the time.
The Modi-Shah duo tasted unlimited success between 2014 and 2017 as the BJP seemed unstoppable in all its activities against the opposition parties. But things started turning against them especially the Rafale fighter jet scam came to the surface in the face of mounting criticism from Congress president Rahul Ganndhi.

There is no threat to Modi’s renomination as the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP and the NDA in 2019 also. But Amit Shah is facing internal threat from within the Sangh. The next few months are very crucial for the future prospects of the Modi-Shah duo.

G.Ravikiran