National

Only Modi in picture matters, simply attacking Modi not fruitful for opposition

(thestates.news) Do you know that not even 29 percent voters turned out to exercise their franchise in the by-election for the Lucknow Cantonment assembly seat? But nobody – not even the keenest political observer sitting in New Delhi – could notice this otherwise glaring development.
Perhaps, they were all too busy analyzing the more important elections for Maharashtra and Haryana state assemblies. You can’t blame them.
Let’s now get back to asking why the Lucknow voters didn’t feel enthused enough to vote? The answer seems simple: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not in the picture, neither the protagonists nor the antagonists get the extra-urge to make a beeline at the polling booths. Modi is a huge factor when he is there. And he is an even bigger factor when he is not there. That’s the precise message from the voters of Lucknow. Like it or not.
The Lucknow by-election looked lacklusture from the start. It was fought on local issues by local contestants. (HS)