It is composed Congress verses jittery BJP for now as countdown begins for 2019

New Delhi, Dec 19: There was just one leader for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and the Congress leadership was running for cover on the onslaughts of Modi but at present attacks made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi is making the BJP leadership uncomfortable to the hilt. New equations and combinations are emerging with the Lok Sabha elections in sight.

With the Assembly elections in five states getting over and elections for the Lok Sabha coming closure, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is faced with multiple in-house challenges, unlike the Congress which has decided to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi to puncture his no-nonsense image on discipline and corruption.

The Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) has already deserted the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by PM Modi. Now the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) has started telling the NDA leadership that allies must be given proper hearing and must be adequately accommodated. The leader of another NDA ally in Uttar Pradesh is constantly criticizing policies of the BJP in the state. Dealing with all these issues is becoming difficult for the BJP leadership.

Besides allies including Shiv Sena, the party leaders and some elected MPs are also not happy with the shabby treatment meted out to them that they have been given all these years. They are not becoming vocal against the leadership. One such leader and Lok Sabha MP Savitri Bai Phule has not only criticised the party but also resigned from all party posts including her Lok Sabha seat.

Ghoshi Lok Sabha MP Ravindra Kushwaha and Salempur Lok Sabha MP Hari Kewal Prasad have raised the issue of Ram Temple in the parliamentary party which is also the sign of unrest in the party leaders. Sakshi Maharaj has constantly been speaking for the Ram Temple however party president Amit Shah time and again made it clear that no decision has been taken on the issue so far.

Despite the BJP getting the ST/ST Act passed in Parliament, it is targeted on the issue not only by the community on its intent for Dalits getting killed but the anger of upper caste is also reflected in many ways. The BJP is well aware of the fact that anger of upper caste has played a very important role in the defeat of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. GST is still a vexed factor for the BJP.

The party that was planning to take a southern sojourn and was very hopeful that it will emerge as the kingmaker in Telangana but it did not happen. The party has to look for a new strategy in the state. Telugu Desam Party, which was the BJP's ally in 2014, is one of the most bitter critiques of the party down south.

A political analyst said that there is also a need for the party to make its communication skill sets in the media better as some of its spokespersons have become loose cannon and authority on to themselves. This is sending a very wrong signal especially among the core vote bank of the party that is middle class and upper middle class.

There are some other senior politicians and BJP leaders like Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and Shatrughan Sinha who have been critical to the government on any issue. The party has failed to reach out to them as yet.

On the other hand, the principal opposition Congress appears to more composed and focused in its attack against the BJP by targeting its most celebrated Prime Minister. When the elections are coming closure, the BJP is trying to keep its house in order while the Congress is reaching out to such elements that are adding value to the prospects of the larger opposition.