By D.N. Singh
Days seem slide to the past when elections were being fought on ideology and ideal and all such metaphors. But, now the time has changed when elections do appear like a boxing ring where the mind-games play a crucial role in the outcomes. Good at that game the BJP and the Congress remain good dribblers for some time and now it touches a high decibel level .
A similar bout is in the offing between both two most discussed leaders, Narendra Modi and Naveen Patnaik those who stand way apart from each other by nature.
Modi foresees a new sun rise in Odisha and a complete debacle of the Naveen regime , the latter has shown a composed yet bold confidence to romp back home again comfortably. It is always short one liners from Patnaik in contrast to Modi’s loud claims by use the few innuendos.
Both are politically correct and both may have some basis behind their claims. At such times, besides the routine surveys by channels and other agencies, input by an internal survey also matter.
Whether it is BJP national president Amit Shah’s ‘Mission-120’ in Odisha or the animated claims made by Modi to earn a decisive victory for the BJP in Odisha, nobody is speaking through the hat. Modi may have some such feedback and so may be Patnaik behind the claims. Whatever, an interesting battle is on the cards.
Or, in other political interpretation, these are all plain mind games being engaged to annihilate each others confidence levels, as is the trend in games. Fear plays a great role to sag the enemy’s morale.
Both sometimes take to social media platform to create an atmosphere of pugnacity. Although Naveen Patnaik has been seen taking on to a smooth track even to outweigh the rivals, his opponents are unsparing and obviously miffed by Patnaik’s 19 years long rule.
Regardless of the outcome the people give in May 2019, but both the leaders now at loggerheads may have some reason to take such positions. Specifically, Naveen Patnaik who faces the headwinds from a combo of oppositions, rebellions overtly and covertly, should deserve credit for remaining unfazed with a spirit of “never quit till ….”
