Regional powerhouses crumble in 2024 Lok Sabha elections
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections have been full of surprises. Many prominent leaders faced unexpected defeats. Influential regional parties, once considered invincible, saw unforeseen setbacks.
One of the most shocking falls is that of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), ending Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year political dominance in Odisha. It was unimaginable for many that the BJD would face such a humiliating defeat. V K Pandian, a close aide to Naveen Patnaik, was confident of a major victory. They were certain of winning seats in the Vidhan Sabha, even if their Lok Sabha performance faltered. However, the BJD experienced a major setback in the general elections as a regional party.
The BJD failed to win any Lok Sabha seats and also lost its grip on the state by not securing significant victories in the Vidhan Sabha elections. The BJP has now taken control with a clear majority, marking the end of the 'Patnaik era'.
The BJP has captured 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, while Congress managed to secure just one, leaving the BJD with none. This crushing defeat will likely take the Biju Janata Dal a long time to recover from. The BJP, which had never controlled Odisha before, is now set to dominate following the downfall of this regional giant. The question of who will succeed Naveen Patnaik as leader of the BJD is now a major concern.
In Punjab, the elections have brought serious trouble for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Once an impregnable force and a long-time ally of the BJP, the Akali Dal parted ways with the BJP during the farmers' protests and now faces a grim future. The party managed to secure only one seat, with Harsimrat Kaur Badal from Bhatinda being its sole MP. Their vote share in Punjab has plummeted to 13.43%.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), symbolized by the giant Indian Elephant, has faced another disastrous performance in the Lok Sabha elections. Once a formidable power in Uttar Pradesh under Mayawati, the BSP repeated its poor showing from 2014. In 2019, the BSP had won 10 seats through its Mahagathbandhan with other regional parties. However, the party’s complete failure in this election suggests it could be the end of Mayawati's political career. The party's reputation has also been damaged by the dismissal of its president during the elections and their votes being less than the winning margins in 16 seats where the BJP won.
Debates are intensifying over Mayawati and the future of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The party's vote share has hit a new low, even worse than the last elections. It appears that Mayawati's 'elephant' has lost its relevance in Uttar Pradesh politics. Meanwhile, the Bhim Army has emerged as a new hope for Dalits, with its leader Chandrashekhar Azad making history by winning from Nagina.
Mayawati's lack of a strong response to incidents of Dalit murders and other atrocities in places like Prayagraj has been a major issue. Her perceived subservience to the BJP has become evident. Her effectiveness has been hindered by a fear of the BJP and its agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Many believe that Mayawati's political decline is a result of her implicit compliance with the BJP's directives. The dismal performance of some BSP candidates, who only managed to secure between 25,000 to 39,000 votes, underscores the party's bleak future.
In the South, setbacks for two regional parties are noteworthy. The AIADMK faced a severe defeat, failing to win any Lok Sabha seats despite high expectations. This is a major blow to their political aspirations. However, AIADMK is expected to recover in the future, having secured the second-highest vote share in 24 constituencies.
In Telangana, the results have been tough for K Chandrashekhar Rao’s Bharath Rashtra Samithi (BRS). Both Congress and BJP have significantly increased their presence in the state, while BRS’s vote share plummeted from 41% to 16%. Despite this, political analysts believe that BRS has the resilience to weather such setbacks and will continue its fight to regain strength. They expect BRS to maintain its political relevance despite these challenges.
Experts are optimistic that AIADMK and BRS will overcome their current losses and achieve new successes. AIADMK is particularly focused on making a strong comeback in the 2026 Vidhan Sabha elections. However, the outlook is less hopeful for BJD in Odisha and BSP in Uttar Pradesh, which have faced severe setbacks in this general election.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
