The art and crafts of Narendra Modi’s campaigning

Pratim Ranjan Bose

Love him or hate him, Narendra Damodardas Modi surely made the ensuring Lok Sabha elections in India, money’s worth.

With another week to go before the one and a half month long election season comes to an end; there is no point in hazarding a guess on the poll prospect of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

Source www.toonpool.com 

But, the party’s decision to project Modi as its prime ministerial nominee surely served a purpose to Indian democracy, by forcing the electorate to take a stand rather than play the role of a passive observer and, blame the political administration for failing the nation.

Single minded focus on Modi

The ball was set rolling by Modi’s critics. Instead of coming out with a credible plan to address the public grievance against unprecedented corruption during the Congress-Led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) rule and ensure growth; they focussed energy on Modi bashing.

“It will be disastrous for the country to have Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister,” said India’s economist Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh - who is often accused of maintaining silence on the mounting allegations against his government – in January.

And, since then the General Election of 2014, became Modi-fied. Socialists, Leftists and even some rank opportunists (who are known for switching allegiance between a Congress-led UPA and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance depending on immediate political needs) - took anti-Modi stance.

Source: Theglobalpundit.blogspot.com

Tons of newsprint was spent in either disproving a ‘Gujarat model of growth’ or or painting a demonic picture of a reasonably popular politician, who has own successive elections in his home State and is idolised by industry for delivering able governance.

The trap of negative politics

It was negative politics and was done in complete oblivion to the fact that the Indian electorate is mature enough to understand that Gujarat is not India. Also, whosoever comes to power in Delhi; has to speak in the language of 1.2 billion that includes the world’s second largest Muslim population among other things.

Even the start-up, Aam Aadmi Party that caught the fancy of the nation’s youth by declaring a war against a corruption, fell into this trap.

Source: rulzwithatul.blogspot.com

The nation perhaps lost an opportunity to witness the much needed rise of a social democratic force – that would pay attention on ensuring a more equitable growth in capitalist regime, rather than referring to political ideologies that has little relevance to an upwardly mobile electorate.

BJP escaped criticism

Looking back, BJP gained profusely by this opposition led “Modi-Wave”

As the debate circled around the Chief Minister of Gujarat; his party escaped the public glare on its patchy record in governance in states like Karnataka and Rajasthan.

The billion dollar iron ore mining scam of a former Yeddyurappa government in Karnataka; the alleged corruption in privatisation of State-owned companies by Atal Bihari Vajpayee government during the NDA rule in the Centre (1998-2004) – everything fell by the wayside. Discussions hovered around the perceived, yet unsubstantiated, role of Gujarat government during the post-Godhra riot in Ahmedabad in 2002.

Source: India Today

The opportunity was seized by Modi. He enjoyed every bit of the personal attack and responded to it blow by blow, perhaps a little more than that. As the poll season progressed, his speeches and the style of campaigning went on improving.

Modi magic

What was initially an attack on the Nikamma Sarkar (useless government) in Delhi; changed in both colour and context. Modi became more lethal; taking on the “ma-bete ki sarkar (Sonia and Rahul Gandhi)” in Delhi or a “changed Didi (Mamata Banerjee)” in Kolkata, at equal ease.

And, in a significant difference to his opponents, his attacks were more political than personal.

Armed with fine oratory skill and an ice-cool head, Modi simply tore apart his opposition by setting the course of the debate. Every shot that was fired at him, boomeranged.  The more his opponents lost their temper, the more he appeared invincible.

If Priyanka Gandhi accused him of pursuing “neech rajniti” (low-level of politics), Modi used it as an opportunity to point out that taking kickbacks on toilet papers procured for athletes during the 2010 Commonwealth Games; were indeed not the best examples of Indian politics.

The damage was not restricted to Congress. Modi used the opportunity to crack the codes of Dalit (formerly untouchables in Hindu religion) vote bank - jealously guarded by Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party - by flashing his neech (low) caste identity.

Surely his opponents haven’t done enough homework on Modi. But Modi did study his opposition. And, it was apparent time and again throughout this campaign phase.

Treading into new frontiers

A case in point is West Bengal, where the party got a mere 3.5 per cent vote in 2009 (excepting Darjeeling that it won at the support of GJM). No top-order BJP leader had ever wasted much time on this state. But, Modi made a difference.  

He not merely addressed a record seven meetings here, in last one month but, put the ruling Trinamool Congress on the back foot; by raising the sensitive issues of Ponzi scam and potential political cover granted to illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

And, when the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee angrily responded to his criticism; Modi mocked at her and advised medical attention.

Source: dnasyndication.com 

“Didi is getting a bit too angry. Doctors must take care so that she does not fall ill,” he advised, before signing off his poll campaign in the State.

It is now to be seen how the voters respond to this debate.

***