As the Assembly election results for Maharashtra and Jharkhand unfold, it has become clear that sloganeering is a limited means of getting votes from the electorate.
The BJP, long known for its slogan-driven campaigns, faced resistance in Jharkhand, where communal rhetoric appears to have failed and regional issues have been the deciding factor in winning.
In the run-up to the Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's slogan, “batenge toh katenge” (divided we perish) was brought up in an effort to consolidate the Hindu vote, particularly in caste-sensitive regions like Vidarbha.
However, the slogan sparked discomfort among BJP’s Mahayuti allies such as Ajit Pawar’s NCP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
In Jharkhand as well, BJP's slogan-based campaigns were overpowered by local issues such as growing unemployment, tribal rights, agrarian distress and the cost of living crisis. This can be seen as a reflection of the changing voter priorities, where grassroots concerns are the deciding factor in winning an election and not a call towards communal or nationalistic slogans. This could be a signal of voters' fatigue with the BJP’s slogan-driven approach to electioneering.
In past elections, slogans like "India Shining" and "Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar" defined campaigns. However, in Jharkhand, BJP's slogans, such as "Ek Hai Toh Safe Hai," did not resonate with the voters, who were more focused on job creation, local governance, and inclusivity.
