Modi scripts history, is 1st non-Cong leader to retain power in style

KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, MAY 23

The Bharatiya Janata Party under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah delivered the biggest-ever victory for the organization, creating history in the process. PM Modi became the first non-Congress leader to retain power at the Centre with a clear majority for a second term in succession.

PM Modi improved upon Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s record as the first home grown BJP leader who was re-elected after a truncated first term and cut short his full term early only to lose power. 

The sheer scale of BJP triumph can be distilled into two clear segments — impeccable organisational support backed by micro-level planning backed by a sharp campaign to deliver home the message that PM Modi needs another five-year term to complete his transformational project of creating a ‘Naya Bharat’ or ‘New India’.

When trends suggested a lead for the BJP, PM Modi took to Twitter to expand on his first-term tag line adding “Sabka Saath plus Sabka Vikas plus Sabka Vishwas is equal to Vijayi Bharat. Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! #VijayiBharat.”

He soon altered his handle to remove ‘chowkidar’ prefix from his Twitter handle. While urging others to follow suit affirming the spirit would remain. The smart messaging reminded the opposition Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who ran a campaign on it: “Chowkidar has become a powerful symbol to safeguard India from the evils of casteism, communalism, corruption and cronyism.” 

The verdict underscores voters’ confidence in PM Modi’s strong and decisive leadership strengthened by the narrative that he stood up against a difficult neighbour in Pakistan, which allowed him to override anti-incumbency and anger against party representatives in the Lok Sabha. The vote also shattered in parts the conventional hold of political families that the ruling party successfully branded as “dynastic”. Yet, there was deviation in states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. In this election, parties like the YSR Congress, DMK and the BJD, headed by children of erstwhile towering leaders, reaped electoral harvest.

Cong in major crisis   

The Congress and other political parties vanquished in these elections will have ample time to introspect and draw plans to re-invent. For the Congress, the analysis of what went wrong should find answers how is it even after two years plus in government, the Congress in Punjab could strike success while those in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, which rode into office a few months ago, came a cropper.