New Delhi: ThePrint’s Phrase of the 12 months for 2024 is “khatakhat“, coined by Rahul Gandhi in the course of the Lok Sabha election marketing campaign. The time period, signifying guarantees of fast, enticing advantages, has had a profound impression on Indian politics, reshaping the political financial system.
In contrast to Prime Minister Modi’s 2022 critique of “revdi tradition”, which didn’t achieve traction, “khatakhat” resonated as a result of it was ideology-free, specializing in quick, non-controversial advantages, like monetary help and job ensures, particularly for girls and farmers. This strategy compelled even the Bharatiya Janata Celebration to undertake related populist methods.
Rahul Gandhi’s proposals, such because the Mahalakshmi Yojana for direct transfers to ladies, mortgage waivers for farmers and assured job schemes, struck a chord throughout India. His use of “khatakhat” grew to become symbolic of the shift in the direction of aggressive populism, with states introducing related schemes.
The BJP, initially opposing such concepts, shortly tailored, introducing welfare schemes like Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Behen Yojana in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh. Even the Aam Aadmi Celebration joined the fray, promising monetary assist to ladies in Delhi.
Regardless of these guarantees, the Congress-led opposition alliance (INDIA bloc) couldn’t safe a decisive victory in 2024, with Congress securing simply 99 seats. Nevertheless, “khatakhat” reshaped nationwide discourse, influencing state insurance policies and elections, particularly in Maharashtra and Haryana.
The important thing takeaway: Rahul Gandhi, regardless of not coming to energy, managed to shift the political dialog, forcing the BJP and different events to recalibrate their methods round welfare, thus altering the panorama of India’s political financial system.
In Episode 1582 of #CutTheClutter, ThePrint Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta appears at how “khatakhat” compelled BJP and others to undertake populist methods they as soon as opposed.
Additionally Watch: BJP’s 4-pronged assault on ‘Model Kejriwal’ & the AAP-Congress tussle in Delhi
