How PM Modi Is Loosing The Midas Touch

 The Prime Minister sang a different tune, while voters marched to a different beat. Soon the country will be plunged into electoral frenzy, neither time nor the electoral tide is on his side this time.

A Narcissist Leader rejected by a Narcissist Electorate

A hardworking, sincere and a honest Prime Minister from humble background, who never clocks more than 6 hours of sleep, has never been reported of ever taking a vacation that every mortal needs, working tirelessly for the poor, faced a major electoral reverse in states where his party traditionally commands a captive voter base.

On the wall the writing was in bold font. PM Modi changed his electoral narrative dramatically even as a concerted efforts were underway by some radical elements of the society to divert the focus from unemployment, high fuel and food costs and general economic mayhem within the country to that of this being a clash of two religions.

RSS, BJPs mother party, had read the straw leaves correctly. Their internal assessment back in July-Aug of this year showed not only a clear decline in these states, it showed a rising anger against PM Modi's empty promises and sullen discontent with his style of abrupt and abrasive functioning.

Mom, Dad and The Kaamdaar

People who were herded to his mega rallies, looked forward to hear their Prime Minister speak about the dire state of the nation, and on what was being done by his government to support the farmers, who after much toiling for the year still failed to justify their tribulations and sell their produce at a fair price. People wanted an explanation on how after extending unflinching support and reposing their immense faith in him, still no concrete tangible results materialized on the ground.

Vikasdevelopment, PM Modi's key promise, unfortunately, became the butt of cruel joke. "All Together, All round development" "sabka saath, sabka vikas, was the slogan that hooked the nation. People had waited patiently for that all round development to happen. Four and a half year later, what they got was excuses and then some more excuses.

A Wasted Opportunity

PM Modi, on his part wasted a splendid opportunity to reach out to voters and assure them of his efforts and achievements that people could actually relate. Unfortunately, the priorities of PM Modi were never in harmony with those of the nation. He had nothing proven to talk about agrarian reforms, employment per educational qualification, women safety.

Instead, he made the election all about himself. He was the "Kaamdar", a humble worker, while those oppose to him were "Naamdars", big names. PM Modi revolved his electioneering around his own personality, topics on how he was abused by his opposition, how his poor mother, praying in a small room was made fun of by the opposition for political gains, how his father's name was being dragged in, how his humble background was being ridiculed.

PM Modi's sense of self-importance is now wearing thin on the electorate. In reality, what people saw was a well groomed suave person, whirring down on their dusty cities on helicopter, surrounded by obsequious party members completely out of touch with ground realities.

A Sharp Lesson on Political Anachronism

The strategy was deeply flawed and a lesson in political anachronism. While PM Modi hung on to the poor hardworking son of the soil toiling to uplift a billion nation narrative, calling out the Gandhi "parivar" family, needlessly questioning the actions of by-gone era. A dead horse he flogged more than one could bear. He wanted to make it a contest between them and himself, instead of about the people and efforts underway to allay their hardships. On the other hand, stray inflammatory incidents were either orchestrated or were blown out of proportion with a view to hijack the development agenda and divert public attention and opinion.

When in Trouble, Head for the Temple

Ram Mandir made a comeback in a big way. The strategy was to milk it for all it was worth. Dharm sansads of saints, all were orchestrated to ensure deep polarization.

Four and a half year of PM Modi and a large section of people are getting restless for the escape hatch to open. An exceedingly plaint and over the top biased media, strange mysterious happenings around EVMs spooked the opposition, yet, BJP could not make it this time. Times, clearly have changed since 2014.

India still lives in villages and small towns. India is an overwhelmingly agrarian society. The elections held in the states are of rural background and rural India from this belt has categorically rejected the grand flourishes of PM Modi. BJP and RSS frontline members now are ill at ease to come to term with this loss. They admit that what contributed to this humiliating defeat was the tall and empty promises of PM Modi and his small coterie.

Within next 3 months, Lok Sabha elections are scheduled, and the party is now staring down the barrel, with time definitely not in his side.

Amit Vats from New Delhi, Samira Khan from Mumbai

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vpatrika.com Staff

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