Two Men in a Lotus

I wonder why Shri. Modi is called upon to campaign for his party during every assembly election. Have the positions of the local leaders been undermined so much that they remain mere puppets? 

If one were to draw a comparison, Shri. Modi is to the BJP what Smt. Indira Gandhi was to the Congress. Sure, she marked the beginning of dynastic politics in the Congress, but she was also the one who held complete control of the party, with few other leaders being able to come out of her shadows into their own. There was a strong allegiance that party members owed to her, probably even greater than what they owed to the party itself. It wouldn't be wrong to say that she became larger than the party, much like the status Shri. Modi is being accorded by his followers and party cadres. Is he really the man with the Midas touch? Does he hold the panacea to all of the country’s problems?
Film stars, another section of our society that is 'popular', often suffer the brunt of audience fatigue due to 'over exposure' - the kind where they are too much in the limelight (not what you were thinking!). I wonder if the same applies to politicians; after all, too much of anything ain't good for health, isn't it? Matching the appropriate amount of attention sought, with that which is needed, involves a tough balancing act.

Many argue that Shri. Modi, as he is today, is a creation of circumstances; circumstances brought about by a weak, tired and lost opposition. Had long years of being in power, and fighting the charges of corruption that came along, caused fatigue within the ranks of the Congress, the major opposition party?

When I was to cast my vote, I read in great detail Gujarat’s so called success story which was marketed as Shri. Modi’s own personal success as an administrator, ideologist and politician. The fact is that Gujarat, being the kind of State that it is, was on its path to growth and development and this would have happened irrespective of who was at the helm of affairs. Though I would not like to take away the credit entirely from Shri. Modi, it was more a case of being at the right place at the right time. But most leaders are made that way - they are more a creation of circumstance (may be that’s the reason many resort to astrological guidance!).

The success of Shri. Modi, and, consequently, the BJP is a function of a tardy opposition, good marketing and a let down citizenry. (May I remind you that the man behind their successful campaign has been rewarded suitably by being made the chief of the Censor Board of India. Not that he does not possess the credentials for the job, but one can’t but overlook the ‘coincidence’ of the relationship! But with due credit to him, he proved his individuality by  clearing the Tamizh movie Mersal without the cuts that created a furore among some members of the party). Now, add a master electoral strategist to that and you have a sure win! 

Shri. Shah has been trying to spread the BJP word. Case in point: His recent visit to Kerala with another much saffronised party leader. It so happens that Kerala isn’t a State that is too inclined towards the Hindutva ideology that the BJP subtly propagates. It is a State that is predominantly communist, with other left wing parties (the LDF and the UDF) adding to the political milieu. Tamil Nadu, too, despite the political logjam, would prefer their film-stars to the BJP! One of my friends had once said that the answer to India's political needs is a "Congress without corruption" - seemed like an oxymoron to me, given their unfortunate history with corruption!

The reports of the PAC indicating the Public Affairs Index in governance in States places Kerala at the top spot and Tamil Nadu at the second; both are non-BJP ruled States. Karnataka, another non-BJP ruled State, was at the fourth position, albeit, slipping from the third that it held last year. Among the top five were three Southern States, all non-BJP. In the category of infrastructure, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh grabbed the top three slots; again, all non-BJP ruled States. I’m not sure if this can really be used to argue a case against the BJP but it surely cannot be ignored. And if it cannot be ignored, it reflects the weak local political leadership in the BJP ruled States. The overpowering duo are, maybe inadvertently, subjugating all the local leaders of the party and trying to walk them by holding their little fingers.

The forthcoming assembly elections in the States of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat will be interesting to watch. It will, once again, bring the two most powerful men from the BJP in a direct conflict against the now-not-so-reluctant Gandhi scion. The Congress, on its part, is scratching its head in search of new ideas, getting overactive on social media - the new age weapon to win a (political) battle - and providing a script for the scion to act by. As in most Indian elections, caste is already a big factor in the game. It now remains to see whether Gujarat will choose to sing a new RaGa (I hate this reference to the Gandhi scion because the reference goes against my understanding of the beauty and structure of a Raga, but I use it here anyway) or whether it will choose to sail along with two men in a lotus!


(The title to this post is inspired by Jerome K. Jerome's book by name Three Men in a Boat)

This beautifully rendered Madhmad Sarang: