Real 'big picture' intent behind poaching Nitish by Team Modi ... is something beyond electoral battle ... "It's to ensure not merely 400 plus..but to win more than 51 percent of votes"

 Politics is most often two plus two -- Twenty two !! With Namo, its often even Fort four. All conventional calculations may not work.

The Real 'big picture' intent behind poaching Nitish Kumar by Team Modi ... is something beyond electoral battle. It's to ensure not merely 400 plus..but to win more than 51 percent of votes"  

Election laws do not require winning 51 per cent of votes; but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen to 'silence' the Left liberal jokers and Sickulars -- who always taunted him last nine and half years that 63 per cent of Indians have voted against Modi in 2014 and 2019. 

The unreasonable 'disapproval' of people's mandate in two general elections have Modi personally so aggressive.  Empowered by the strong 'Ram-leher', he now wishes to attain that -- even Rajiv Gandhi did not cross 50 per cent mark. 

And as he plans to achieve the impossible target; one recalls what cricket Sunil Gavaskar wrote in book 'One Day Wonders' that:

"Our victory had more or less assured us of a place ....but it was important that we maintained a good run rate".  

It is now being given out that Modi told his confidants that in May 2024 when final results of vote count is announced, the winners and perhaps even losers should just sit there, flabbergasted. 

With Nitish Kumar now in NDA; an electoral victory in Bihar is now much easier - almost a kid's play and hence the BJP and Team Modi now want to focus on areas the saffron party is weaker to take the tally beyond what it got in 2019 and push the vote share beyond 50 per cent. 

Notably, in 1984 elections, when Rajiv won 400 plus encashing the sympathy wave as he had lost mother Indira Gandhi, the Congress vote share stood at 49.10 per cent.  Moreover, Nitish brings an immense symbolic message, a key opposition protagonist who was almost a PM-candidate against Modi is today a 'dedicated lieutenant'.  

There is also a crucial political message. The Ram temple inauguration has impacted the non-BJP voters and support base. In fact, sources say Nitish told his party confidants, "If we have to stay relevant, we have to be BJP and pro-Hindutva voters". 

Religion is not only a reality today. It is more than the 'traditional way' of life. It is a powerful political tool and it has changed Indian middle class first and then the politics. It's not the other way round. WE need not not blame the Neta class. 

How these come down to election management by the BJP ? 

In 2014, the Lotus outfit planned it well in the west and in the northern state including Uttar Pradesh. In 2019, the poll management extended to eastern India's three key states West Bengal - where BJP picked up 18, Bihar - BJP won 17 and JD-U (as NDA partner won 16), LJP won 6 and in Odisha too the saffron party made a deeper penetration. 

In 2024, the Modi-Shah duo is ambitious to do well in southern states. In Karnataka, BJP has a base but problem areas are in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and also Andhra. There are altogether 131 seats in south and out of these BJP has never won 84 seats. Hence this is new focus area. 

Therefore, BJP's plans include sincere contests even in Tamil Nadu. There is speculation that Modi himself and ministers such as Nirmala Sitharaman and Dr S Jaishankar may contest in Tamil Nadu. 

What will the BJP do in Wayanad remains to be seen.    

In fact, post-Ram Mandir consecration these arguments are gaining currency even among political class.

Prime Minister Modi today is not merely a popular leader, he has practically no competitor among the opposition leaders to counter him. When did we see such a phenomenon last time? 

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