Corruption in Spotlight: BJP’s Winning Narrative

5 months ago 77

BJP workers and supporters celebrate the party’s lead in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh during counting of votes, at the party headquarters in Delhi. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

The BJP’s emphasis on corruption has resonated strongly with voters, with the party securing a comfortable majority in Chhattisgarh. Allegations involving coal, liquor, DMF funds, and PSC recruitment have significantly impacted the Congress’s image. Lokniti-CSDS data reveals corruption as a major concern among voters.

The broader picture indicates a perception of increased or persistent corruption over the last five years. Two in every three voters (68%) have indicated that corruption has increased, while one-tenth also indicate that conditions have remained the same. Only a small minority, about one in every five voters (18%) have reported a decrease in corruption (Table 1).

Among those who say that corruption has increased, they are significantly more likely to vote for the BJP (50%) as opposed to the Congress (39%), whereas those voters who have reported a decrease in corruption were more likely to vote for the Congress (62%) than the BJP (28%) (Table 2).

Moreover, a serious allegation surfaced against outgoing CM Bhupesh Baghel, accusing him of receiving a bribe of ₹508 crores from Mahadev betting app promoters, during the campaigning time. Despite significant media coverage, survey findings indicate a mixed perception among voters. Close to one-fourth (23%) of the voters report that Baghel was involved in the App scam, while a corresponding proportion (22%) denied it, although the scam did hog the news headlines, about one-fourth (24%) of the voters reported being unaware. Another one-third (31%) did not give any particular response. Close to half the voters were either unaware or chose not to respond to the question, there is less likelihood of the issue translating into votes.

However, the BJP’s accusations against the Congress government for corruption, recruitment irregularities, and the ‘BhuPay’ QR code showcasing alleged scandals seem to have yielded positive results. When voters were asked which party is best suited to reduce corruption, half (50%) favoured the BJP, while one-third (33%) considered the Congress as the better alternative (Table 4). It appears that the BJP’s anti-corruption drive has made the party the best alternative to tackle corruption.