Narendra Modi emerged as a single astute politician as others in opposition within and without decimated in the last Lok Sabha election. No one expected Modi to win a clear majority, neither his opponents nor leaders on his side. No one wanted him to win as Modi was an imposed choice without an alternative. The BJP had no other winner within after Lal Krishna Advani stood demolished by the previous election. The Congress knew it would not return to power but did not expect to be reduced to shamble and fail to win an even tenth of strength in the Lower House. Regional Parties retained their hold over their vote banks but not on their numbers in the House.
As the results show, Modi is an astute politician who can read the mind of the young generation and respond adequately. His slogan, “Less government and more governance.” gives an idea about his mission. A careful reading of his utterances and introduced measures since take over indicates he follows the unconventional approach in seeking a change in the mentality of Indians by urging them to shed their slavish mentality, liberate themselves from total dependence on government to improve their lives. Instead, he seeks to encourage them to use their creative abilities for fighting their circumstances and add to national assets by generating wealth.
But there is an inherent danger of Modi sliding into the saddle where he tends to behave as a self-appointment autocrat brought in to be the benefactor of Indian people. He certainly looks at Lee Kwan, late hero and autocrat who rebuilt modern and developed Singapore in two decades. Narendra Modi not only rushed to attend his funeral but also declared a national mourning, only major Asian nation to do so. NaMo apparently holds Lee Kwan in high esteem.
The unexpected but also unprecedented victory of Modi made most others bite the dust. He rendered the BJP, even as its chosen campaigner, to irrelevance by forcing his agenda before the election and relegating the old controversial issues to the bottom. He did not mention those issues even once in his bitter campaign. His party leaders were dwarfed as he emerged as a great personality that achieved a miracle. His interaction with bureaucrats before the first meeting of Cabinet colleagues and telling them his doors would remain open for them if they came under pressures or faced resistance to their following the policy framework was a clear message where he placed politicians, colleagues or opponents in his structure of governance.
Modi responded to pinpricks from the first shops of the Sangh as well as from the directed Sangh followers with silence. He preferred to keep his mouth and mind shut to the ultimatum to him for the construction of temple or irritations caused by the religious conversion campaign.
Indulgence and adulation from the international comity gave him additional strength. Nation after nation stood up with open arms to receive him on a state visit. They were awe struck by his victory as he had fought the difficult battle single handed with total control over the entire electoral process from constituting election machinery, selecting modes of communications and formulating messages to be delivered in the campaign. He shared his campaign platform with no other leader, known or little known. He stood alone and spoke to those whom he could not reach via social media in the whirlwind campaign trail.
Another evidence of Modi side-stepping from the party machinery to reach out masses is in his choice of the modern communication medium, radio and television for direct contact with masses and regularly sharing his thoughts with them. Without demolishing security barriers around him, he opened avenues for everyone to reach him directly through social media. He preferred not to depend on the party machinery to reach out masses. He received clear mandate as projected candidate for the top slot. People and not politicians would now sit in judgment to decide whether he succeeded in his mission or not.
He is not conservative in his approach or traditionalist in his politics. Microscopic was known about his past, his campaigns and his work, as he kept a low profile till he was given clean chit by the Supreme Court, appointed Special Investigation Team in September 2011 on his alleged involvement in communal riots in 2002. Now it transpires from his methods that he used low profile for educating himself to acquire a deep understanding of India, her people, and their aspirations as well as what they ought to have.
The permit raj of decades turned Indians to depend on government for everything from their economic activities to life style. Poor were made to depend on welfare schemes- another name for charity. Benefits were doled out without demanding return contribution to national assets. The enactments since parliament came into being were of restrictive and prohibitive in nature that reflected mistrust in citizens. Everyone was treated as dishonest who will give even half chance, cheat. Kind of enactment was no different from the British rule. Policy frameworks were designed to deprive one class of their privileges to hold out a carrot to a small section among deprived.
He created hopes in young hearts with the promise of empowering them with skills to enable them to get living in India or abroad since world waits for skilled hands to keep their machines rolling out productions. His interpretations differ vastly to a literal reading. He stands alone in his style as even his colleagues do not respond positively. He is surrounded by a classical and decent crowd. Changes he seeks are resisted. Most humans want to change but in others and not in or to their life. It is not easy to steer through such field. His efforts to open Indian economy for exploitation with foreign investments were stymied with opposition forcing him to abandon his reforms program to smooth processes and path easier for investors. He will continue to encounter resistance not from the opposition but also from within. The conventional reading of politics gives him little chance of success. But young generation is looking towards him with rekindled hopes. That can become his strength. The lot depends on how he would use it in coming time.
