Indian middle class willing now to vote against their own economic interests

[Telugodura456]

Assal sissal vote bank politics = hindu oppressive castes 

https://scroll.in/article/968907/middle-class-incomes-were-worst-hit-by-indias-harsh-coronavirus-lockdown

Rising petrol prices, shrinking savings don't matter – India’s middle class is mesmerised by Modi

The BJP’s middle class vote bank has held steady even in the face of deepening economic distress.

Shoaib Daniyal

2 hours ago

•  
•  
•  

An activist of Indian youth Congress wearing a cut out mask of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocks the fact that petrol prices have hit a "century". | AFP/Money Sharma

Amitabh Bachchan’s 753rd tweet – the superstar carefully numbers his social media activity – was a somewhat unfunny joke on rising inflation. Fed up with rising petrol prices, a Mumbaikar goes to a petrol pump to buy “two to four rupees” of petrol in order to “spray on his car” in order to “burn it”. Clearly, it was unviable for a middle class Indian to now even own a car.

This was in 2012 – a time when jokes around the price of petrol were so popular they almost made up their own humour genre in India. This was also a time when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was tottering. And as it soon learnt, there was little more damaging politically than humour. The widespread mocking of fuel prices served to create a middle class “common sense” that the UPA was a time of exceptional misrule and corruption.

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Since then, oil prices have skyrocketed, going up approximately by a quarter. This week they even crossed the psychological barrier of Rs 100 per litre in some cities.

Radio silence

Ironically, unlike the torrent of petrol price jokes in 2012 and 2013, there was little this time even though the prices were not only much higher, they were far more due to the government’s actions. While taxes and duties comprised only 49% of retail petrol price under the UPA, under Modi that figure stands at 67%, as per an analysis by Mint.

This isn’t the only instance of the middle class getting squeezed with little political repercussions. For some time now, the Reserve Bank of India has kept interest rates low, in a bid to kickstart the sputtering Indian economy. While this policy helps large corporations access easy credit, it grievously impacts small savers. For example, the rate for a State Bank of India fixed deposit between five and 10 years stands today at only 5.4%. This is down from more than 9% when Bachchan was joking about the travails of the middle class in 2012.

"If you have bred a lion, you must bear the expense": A pro-BJP meme making the point that support for the party is disconnected from price rise.

Since fixed deposits are a key way for the middle class to earn interest income, this hurts them significantly. Moreover, it disportionately hurts the vulnerable elderly section, who have depended on these instruments for retirement income only to see their corpus shrink dramatically as a result of this new interest rate regime.

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This is not all – even as expenses shot up and saving avenues close, middle class incomes have been badly hit by policies such as India’s harsh Covid-19 lockdown. Survey work by the economic research firm Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy has found that middle class and upper middle class Indians were the worst hit by the lockdown in terms of income growth.

Blame game

Given how significant the petrol price rise is, Modi has directly taken on his critics using the much used – and till now fairly efficacious – device of blaming previous governments. “Had we focussed on this [energy import dependence] earlier, our middle class would not be so burdened,” the prime minister said on Wednesday.

There is little fact behind this statement, given that – as pointed out earlier – much of the retail price paid for petrol is due to the Modi government’s own excessive taxation. However, in spite of this price increase and attempts to palm off blame, there is hardly any middle class anger even resembling that which existed during the last years of the UPA.

A 2014 campaign ad by Modi promising to give relief from rising fuel prices if voted to power.

Vote bank

This silence in the face of economic hurt underlines the strong support for the BJP, Modi and eventually Hindutva from India’s middle classes. Most data points to the fact that in the middle class, the BJP has a more stable vote bank than almost any other party in India. In 2019, one of the largest post-poll surveys done across India found 38% among middle-class respondents and 44% among the upper-middle class voted BJP which was, by far the most popular party in that category. Since the BJP appeals only to Hindus amongst the middle class, an astounding 61% of Hindu upper-caste voters surveyed picked the BJP in 2019.

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This points to a deep ideological relationship – which clearly has the potential to withstand economic shocks, with the Indian middle class, at least for the time being, ready to vote against their own economic interests.

What works additionally in favour of the BJP is the lack of any other party which attracts middle class support. The Congress, while traditionally a party that attracted middle class support, has seen its support collapse post 2014, with the BJP significantly increasing its standing amongst them between 2014 and 2019.

What is often disparagingly called “vote bank politics” in India – pointing to the existence of identity based support – has helped the BJP significantly even as poor economic conditions force it to squeeze its own middle class base.

Support our journalism by subscribing to Scroll+. We welcome your comments at [email protected].

[Ryzen_renoir]

29 minutes ago, Telugodura456 said:

Assal sissal vote bank politics = hindu oppressive castes 

https://scroll.in/article/968907/middle-class-incomes-were-worst-hit-by-indias-harsh-coronavirus-lockdown

Rising petrol prices, shrinking savings don't matter – India’s middle class is mesmerised by Modi

The BJP’s middle class vote bank has held steady even in the face of deepening economic distress.

Shoaib Daniyal

2 hours ago

•  
•  
•  

An activist of Indian youth Congress wearing a cut out mask of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocks the fact that petrol prices have hit a "century". | AFP/Money Sharma

Amitabh Bachchan’s 753rd tweet – the superstar carefully numbers his social media activity – was a somewhat unfunny joke on rising inflation. Fed up with rising petrol prices, a Mumbaikar goes to a petrol pump to buy “two to four rupees” of petrol in order to “spray on his car” in order to “burn it”. Clearly, it was unviable for a middle class Indian to now even own a car.

 

 

 

This was in 2012 – a time when jokes around the price of petrol were so popular they almost made up their own humour genre in India. This was also a time when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was tottering. And as it soon learnt, there was little more damaging politically than humour. The widespread mocking of fuel prices served to create a middle class “common sense” that the UPA was a time of exceptional misrule and corruption.

 

 

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Since then, oil prices have skyrocketed, going up approximately by a quarter. This week they even crossed the psychological barrier of Rs 100 per litre in some cities.

Radio silence

Ironically, unlike the torrent of petrol price jokes in 2012 and 2013, there was little this time even though the prices were not only much higher, they were far more due to the government’s actions. While taxes and duties comprised only 49% of retail petrol price under the UPA, under Modi that figure stands at 67%, as per an analysis by Mint.

This isn’t the only instance of the middle class getting squeezed with little political repercussions. For some time now, the Reserve Bank of India has kept interest rates low, in a bid to kickstart the sputtering Indian economy. While this policy helps large corporations access easy credit, it grievously impacts small savers. For example, the rate for a State Bank of India fixed deposit between five and 10 years stands today at only 5.4%. This is down from more than 9% when Bachchan was joking about the travails of the middle class in 2012.

"If you have bred a lion, you must bear the expense": A pro-BJP meme making the point that support for the party is disconnected from price rise.

Since fixed deposits are a key way for the middle class to earn interest income, this hurts them significantly. Moreover, it disportionately hurts the vulnerable elderly section, who have depended on these instruments for retirement income only to see their corpus shrink dramatically as a result of this new interest rate regime.

ADVERTISEMENT

This is not all – even as expenses shot up and saving avenues close, middle class incomes have been badly hit by policies such as India’s harsh Covid-19 lockdown. Survey work by the economic research firm Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy has found that middle class and upper middle class Indians were the worst hit by the lockdown in terms of income growth.

Blame game

Given how significant the petrol price rise is, Modi has directly taken on his critics using the much used – and till now fairly efficacious – device of blaming previous governments. “Had we focussed on this [energy import dependence] earlier, our middle class would not be so burdened,” the prime minister said on Wednesday.

There is little fact behind this statement, given that – as pointed out earlier – much of the retail price paid for petrol is due to the Modi government’s own excessive taxation. However, in spite of this price increase and attempts to palm off blame, there is hardly any middle class anger even resembling that which existed during the last years of the UPA.

A 2014 campaign ad by Modi promising to give relief from rising fuel prices if voted to power.

Vote bank

This silence in the face of economic hurt underlines the strong support for the BJP, Modi and eventually Hindutva from India’s middle classes. Most data points to the fact that in the middle class, the BJP has a more stable vote bank than almost any other party in India. In 2019, one of the largest post-poll surveys done across India found 38% among middle-class respondents and 44% among the upper-middle class voted BJP which was, by far the most popular party in that category. Since the BJP appeals only to Hindus amongst the middle class, an astounding 61% of Hindu upper-caste voters surveyed picked the BJP in 2019.

ADVERTISEMENT

This points to a deep ideological relationship – which clearly has the potential to withstand economic shocks, with the Indian middle class, at least for the time being, ready to vote against their own economic interests.

What works additionally in favour of the BJP is the lack of any other party which attracts middle class support. The Congress, while traditionally a party that attracted middle class support, has seen its support collapse post 2014, with the BJP significantly increasing its standing amongst them between 2014 and 2019.

What is often disparagingly called “vote bank politics” in India – pointing to the existence of identity based support – has helped the BJP significantly even as poor economic conditions force it to squeeze its own middle class base.

Support our journalism by subscribing to Scroll+. We welcome your comments at [email protected].

[Picheshwar]

7 minutes ago, Ryzen_renoir said:

 

[Thokkalee]

There is no strong opposition... there is no alternative leader emerging from the opposition... Indira also had this advantage... Leaders who has this advantage always rule longer... doesn’t matter what issues come up during their rule... 

[Ryzen_renoir]

11 minutes ago, Thokkalee said:

There is no strong opposition... there is no alternative leader emerging from the opposition... Indira also had this advantage... Leaders who has this advantage always rule longer... doesn’t matter what issues come up during their rule... 

Nehru family lekapothey , a strong leader would have emrged by now .

BJP is being saved by rahul Gandhi 

[Telugodura456]

10 minutes ago, Thokkalee said:

There is no strong opposition... there is no alternative leader emerging from the opposition... Indira also had this advantage... Leaders who has this advantage always rule longer... doesn’t matter what issues come up during their rule... 

A vote bank has formed by hindu upper castes who will just vote on their identity. For decades they used to mock muslims for playing vote bank politics. Its clear now who plays vote bank politics with no real good for country in mind.

[Ryzen_renoir]

Just now, Telugodura456 said:

A vote bank has formed by hindu upper castes who will just vote on their identity. For decades they used to mock muslims for playing vote bank politics. Its clear now who plays vote bank politics with no real good for country in mind.

Upper castes okkatey kadhu even among SC/ST BJP voting percentage has increased considerably .

Infact Modi's biggest challengers are old upper caste leaders and few BC leaders in north india .

 

[bhaigan]

16 minutes ago, Thokkalee said:

There is no strong opposition... there is no alternative leader emerging from the opposition... Indira also had this advantage... Leaders who has this advantage always rule longer... doesn’t matter what issues come up during their rule... 

Good Catch

[Raven_Rayes]

5 minutes ago, Ryzen_renoir said:

Nehru family lekapothey , a strong leader would have emrged by now .

BJP is being saved by rahul Gandhi 

BJP is saved by bigoted Indians who vote for autocrats.

[Raven_Rayes]

most BJP voters are bigots. some are feudalist/capitalist scum.

[Raven_Rayes]

10 minutes ago, Ryzen_renoir said:

BJP is being saved by rahul Gandhi 

you keep saying this.. without answering what Rahul can offer to BJP voters...

if he offers UBI, you'll complain about freebies. if he offers protection against corporate takeover, you'll complain about license raj.

you want Rahul to do the same thing Modi was supposed to do, without the Hindutva madness (I include nationalist nonsense in this too)

but if that were possible, Rahul/Congress could've done that a long back. 

[Raven_Rayes]

Indian economy 10gi poyi, kadupulu maadithey gaani daari ki raaru..

waste of time thinking about India.

fuel prices 2011 level ki vellaali.. India direct to assam.

[Raven_Rayes]

Its funny that those who complain about BJP, won't even encourage the thought of a coalition govt with non nationalist parties in the union govt.

Its like India is doomed with two choices.

[Ryzen_renoir]

1 minute ago, Raven_Rayes said:

you keep saying this.. without answering what Rahul can offer to BJP voters...

if he offers UBI, you'll complain about freebies. if he offers protection against corporate takeover, you'll complain about license raj.

you want Rahul to do the same thing Modi was supposed to do, without the Hindutva madness (I include nationalist nonsense in this too)

but if that were possible, Rahul/Congress could've done that a long back. 

Look I have nothing personal against Rahul baba but their family has ruined the country pursuing state control policies for 40 years . 

I don't want him anywhere near politics if the only thing he brings to the table is family name .

His policies / stances don't matter,. I see him as the offspring of a sinful family that wants to retain power at all costs .

I would gladly support congress if nehru family is thrown out of central leadership.

My fav indian politician right now is arvind Kejriwal , he does everything congress is supposed to do while being much cleaner  

[Telugodura456]

23 minutes ago, Ryzen_renoir said:

Upper castes okkatey kadhu even among SC/ST BJP voting percentage has increased considerably .

Infact Modi's biggest challengers are old upper caste leaders and few BC leaders in north india .

 

"Since the BJP appeals only to Hindus amongst the middle class, an astounding 61% of Hindu upper-caste voters surveyed picked the BJP in 2019."

It is really stunning because unlike others hindu upper castes have many choices. Leadership in congress, communists, shiv sena etc is also upper caste. But they still chose BJP. so maximum vote bank politics is played by this irrational segment.

Among BC/SC/ST lot of votes still go to SP/BSP/RJD whereever they have a chance.