Aspiring India Will put that Party with a Positive Campaign in the Saddle after 2019 Elections!

The April/May 2019 General Elections are all about hope and aspirations of the Indian people, about where we want India to be in the future, about equitable distribution of wealth and giving hope and support to the marginalised. This is the single most important reason why the party which conducts a positive campaign will win the election and the party that conducts a negative campaign will lose the elections. People want parties of India to rise above their personal enemities and work for the larger good of the country and its people.  PEOPLE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU SEND TO JAIL OR HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HANG IN THE HALL OF SHAME IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTIONS. People of India are looking for those leaders who can learn from their past mistakes and work for a better future for the country based on our abiding principles of justice, equality and fraternity. People want India to be prosperous, happy, secure and strong and they will boo and shoo out the party which in any way impinges on this dream.

If you look at history, especially since 900 AD, you will find that the attacks on the Indian soil started soon after this period. A weak central leadership, infighting amongst divisive Indian states, unwillingness on the part of the states to work as a team, propagating one chief ruler at the expense of the other important team chieftains, team play over appropriating of undue credit by the Central leadership, guarding oneself against cronies and sycophants, our centuries-old Indian habit of backstabbing and betraying each other for petty and personal gains were some of the main reasons around this period why foreign invaders got an upper hand and enslaved India for nearly 900 years. During this period not only was the Hindu culture and ethos greatly erased and subdued and the spirit of the Hindus crushed, but it also led to the mass marginalisation of Hindus from the mainstream. A similar situation is simmering today which however has been dexterously handled by the Central leadership which hopefully hears the rumblings on the ground.

Luckily for India, we today have a leader in Shri Modiji who is not only decisive and has a strong will but also one who knows how to keep his flock together and ward off encroachers. Given that Indians are by nature critical and have a negative and defeatist attitude, he has many good qualities which must be highlighted. Not to say that he has his weaknesses, but that should not detract one from recounting his positive attributes. Modi is a great assimilator of talent and knows how to put that talent to good use. He can do great oratory keeping a pulse on the people and can alter the narrative in real time given the feedback from the public. Channelising of targeted communication through well chosen spokesperson in a coherent way so that the messaging drives the agenda is another of his strong points. While Shri Modiji is himself a may of ideas and strategies, he actively seeks ideas from the public and is receptive to good strategy and counsel. This is what sets Modi apart from the others. That indeed is the hallmark of a good leader.

But platitudes to the contrary, not all is well with the Indian economy or so it seems. On the ground, people can be heard complaining by the hundreds that they don’t have work or money, businesses are at a standstill or on the verge of closure, and there is deep resentment and anger against the current situation. Shri Modiji came to power in 2014 on the back of hope and faith as one who could solve India’s problems with a magic wand. As things stand today, many of the embedded problems still continue. Shri Modiji would be well advised not to get swayed by the massive turnout at the election rallies and the thunderous chants of Modi, Modi!! Reports from the ground say these rallies are stage managed to please Modi by his handpicked henchmen. Modi’s achilles heal is that he seeks to power ahead as a single machine, he soaks himself in praise and adulation and like a banyan tree he doesn’t let the light fall on other key ministers. To graduate to the next level of greatness, Shri Modiji must reverse these limitations which are self defeating.

These shortcomings in Modiji could well reverse any gains the BJP has made in the last 5 years. Although public support for Modiji and the BJP is at an all time high yet 2019 is not the same as 2014. There is no Modi or BJP wave currently and in the last 5 years the regional chieftains, the main Opposition party as well as the state parties have gained considerable mileage and weightage. If Modi’s is quick to take credit for positive developments he should also give credit to others for the good work being done by them and also that as a true leader the buck should stop with him. These realities do not augur well for the BJP or its allies in the NDA. Modiji shoukld develop a strategic  gameplan to address India’s problems and respond swiftly at a tactical or strategic level---and he can only do that if someone advises him. In the light of these developments, it is not difficult to forecast how things will pan out in 2019. History has shown that the Indian Central leadership falters when it fails to hear dissenting voices from the other side.

This faltering has indeed led to the rise of the Congress and its allies. Hon’ble Shri Rahul Gandhi has come a long way since 2002. He has shaped up into an astute politician and can be rightly credited to reviving the Congress. This he has done chiefly by putting his own self and his house in order, by sharpening and honing his public discourse skills, by reiterating his emphasis on the founding principles of our constitution and our nation and by inviting and honouring the right men and women in the folds of his party. In this context, the Congress’ 55 year legacy of governance is standing in good stead and Shri Gandhi knows that taking the people for granted and arrogance in power can be both fatal and self defeating. Shri Gandhi is both malleable and ductile like the precious metal gold and quickly sensing that the majority community was feeling alienated in the old scheme of things has rightly readjusted his public positions to assuage their hurt feelings.

But Modiji being a man of the masses who has his feet firmly on the ground is an expert in turning a negative situation to a positive situation by sheer grit and will. Not a man to say ‘give up’ he is expected to ensure his weaknesses turn to positives. That’s where his true strength lies.

Here are things the BJP must keep in mind if it wants to crack the hustings in 2019:

In his new book on Indian democracy, Ruchir Sharma, the investment banker and author states that state alliances with the ruling party will hold the key to winning the 2019 elections. Nothing could be further than the truth. Ruchir has hit the nail on the head with accurate precision. Modi’s track record of dealing with state chief ministers or chieftains leaves much to be desired. He should use his personal charisma in building warm and sustainable relationships and alliances with state chief minsters and regional satraps. In fact in 2019, regional satraps will hold the key to winning the 2019 elections. The BJP/Modi should do well to give genuine and sincere importance, respect and understanding to regional satraps and treat them as equals in governance. Strengthening relationships with traditional NDA allies, building new relationships with parties amenable to the NDA ideology, seat sharing agreements are important options. To the credit of Modi, he is aware of this and is doing all that he can to mend fences with the regional parties.