Will Modi bounce back?

Yogesh Mishra

Raipur, November 12

Are people disillusioned with Bharatiya Janata Party? In just one and a half year of its rule under NDA umbrella at Centre, the party has dramatically reached to nadir from zenith. Though many things happened during this period, the steps taken by Narendra Modi on developmental plank failed to transform at practical footing. Bihar debacle is certainly a big lesson for Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine, which was touted by the party last year to establish 21^st century’s Ramrajya in the country, because the government of majority is suddenly struggling to win public mandate in states. If the conditions prevail, Modi and Shah would have to put similar effort as they did last year to win 2019 general elections.

Of course, it is unjust to expect changes happening in such a short span of time. At least, a government should complete its five-year tenure before being assessed on various parameters. Nevertheless, 18 months are enough for sprouts of hopes to come out. In fact, Modi too was aware that, he being a seasoned leader, would be favorite subject for critics and analysts from Day One of his new avatar as a Prime Minister. Hence, he assumed the office with full preparations to counter criticisms with work instead of speech.

Soon he succeeded in convincing masses that his developmental and nationalistic agendas were not mere dream-talks, but silhouette of well-conceived strategic vision. He started Mann Ki Baat via radio to directly connect to people and the latter thought he was giving voice to their feelings.

Some changes also appeared. The people liked Swchcha Bharat Abhiyaan as well as host of other initiatives. However, what they didn’t like is Modi’s silence on important issues and unnecessary exaggerations on trivial matters. They also didn’t like Modi’s sarcasm against his opponents as they felt he should maintain the dignity of PM post and talk on issues and causes instead of individuals.

Whenever, the people looked at Modi to express his candid opinions on issues like communalism, he remained tightlipped. Contrarily, whenever he was expected to behave with the wisdom of hindsight, he looked wayward.

The conditions before general elections were different. At that time, when he was targeting Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal and others, the people would applaud him, but now, not only the scene has changed, but also his role. Now, he will only get appreciation when his invisible chariot of development would bring peace and prosperity in the country.

Unfortunately, Modi’s speeches during the hustings in Bihar were concentrated on individuals instead of development. The people wanted him to speak on skyrocketing prices of dal and onions, on artificial clouds of communalism and intolerance in the country, black money, etc but he rather embroiled in game of allegations and counter-allegations keeping Nitish and Lalu at focal point.

While attacking his opponents, he said the BJP would rid Biharis from the jungleraj, but he failed to tell what turnaround his party’s MPs from the State brought in the villages adopted by them under Sasnsad Adarsh gram Yojana in one year. 

Though he had announced Rs 125 crore-special package for Bihar earlier, he could not tell how the State’s remote areas would get road, water, electricity, health and education facility and how his party would uproot Maoism.

Modi’s development agenda derailed in Bihar when he had questioned on Nitish Kumar’s DNA in a public rally. In fact, by doing so, he had inadvertently scripted the BJP’s loss by attacking old partner Kumar who had ruled the State for eight with his party. After Lalu-Rabri era, it was the BJP-JD(U) government led by Kumar that brought perceptible reforms in Bihar. The people apparently didn’t like Modi’s remarks against Kumar.

The BJP’s Bihar drubbing can also be seen as repetition of history as Modi committed similar mistake during Delhi assembly elections earlier this year when he had openly waged war of words against Arvind Kejriwal and tried to portray the latter as a nondescript and inapt for politics instead of sticking to his development agenda. The result was historical as Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party posted landslide victory in Delhi by winning 67 out of 70 seats in Delhi and BJP shrinking to mere three.