After losing three out of four states, Congress played the divisive card, as expected. Meanwhile, key INDI alliance member DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and its supporters resorted to abusing North Indians. Not surprisingly, in a textbook case of sore losers, Congress began blaming everyone, including the voters, except the ‘royal family’ of Congress.

Several instances have come to light where individuals associated with the Congress party have engaged in divisive rhetoric, creating a North-South divide in Bharat. Another narrative, marked by xenophobia and propagated by supporters of the DMK and advocates of Dravidian ideology, states that individuals from North Bharat migrate to the South for employment but return to their home states to cast votes in favour of the BJP.

Congress plays the divisive card

These were not faceless trolls or random social media users but Congress leaders in positions of authority. That Congress leaders led the attack on voters because the latter did not vote in accordance with their wishes is a matter of shame. It also highlights the moral bankruptcy of the party.

Praveen Chakravarty, the Chairman of the Data Analytics department of the Congress party appointed by Rahul Gandhi, posted a picture titled “South Vs North” along with a caption emphasizing the growing division, drawing parallels to its ally DMK’s strategy. Following public backlash on social media, he deleted the tweet.

A Congress youth functionary from Tamil Nadu went as far as calling for the southern states to be separated from the rest of Bharat, stating, “Just cut us off, man… South is for us. North, go wherever/however you want!” In another tweet, she dehumanized voters from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh (MP), and Uttar Pradesh (UP) who supported the BJP, questioning their humanity.

Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram and Congress MP from Tamil Nadu, also contributed to the divisive rhetoric by perpetuating the North-South narrative. Congress MLA JG Prince from Tamil Nadu posted a cryptic tweet with the word “Therku,” meaning “South” in Tamil, further fueling the regional divide.

The founding editor of the leftist portal, The Wire, also joined in on the North Vs South rhetoric, claiming that the divide had intensified with the recent election results. In Kerala, Arun Kumar, Chief Editor at Reporter TV channel, made derogatory remarks on air, insulting North Indians by stating, ‘North Indians are illiterate!’ These instances reflect a concerning trend of divisive language within certain circles associated with the Congress party.

The Congress and its I.N.D.I. alliance allies consistently promote hazardous divisive rhetoric whenever the BJP secures victories in northern states or when the Congress emerges triumphant in southern states. This trend was notably observed when the Congress mimicked the DMK’s North-South divisive approach following its success in the Karnataka Assembly elections in 2022.

BJP’s southern inroads

It must be highlighted here that the BJP is making its presence in the south. Telangana election’s dark horse who emerged as a giant slayer is BJP’s K Venkata Ramana Reddy. He proved to be a giant killer as he defeated Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and state Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy, who is likely to be the next Chief Minister in the Kamareddy constituency.

The BJP candidate defeated his nearest rival, KCR, by a margin of 6,741 votes. While Venkata Ramana Reddy, a local BJP leader, polled 66,652 votes, KCR secured 59,911 votes. This is KCR’s first electoral defeat in nearly four decades. He had never lost an election since 1985. Revanth Reddy finished third in Kamareddy, polling 54,916 votes. Venkat Ramna Reddy was the only local among the three main candidates. While KCR hails from the undivided Medak district, Revanth Reddy comes from the undivided Mahabubnagar district.

One of the young upcoming BJP leaders is the party’s Tamil Nadu (TN) President K Annamalai. He has been vocal on many issues, and his yatra was well-received by the people in general and the youth in particular.

INDI alliance would do well to remember that there is a Hindu resurgence in the South. Udhaynidhi Stalin’s ‘eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ remark was condemned by the majority. In any case, states like Karnataka also voted in favour of the BJP in the Loksabha elections. INDI alliance is attempting to sow seeds of separatism in keeping with its divide-and-rule agenda.

(With IANS inputs)