"Politics and Power play are like a balloon and the hard work is like the air in it. If one blows less air in the balloon, it will deflate.
At the same time one should not blow in more air; the balloon would burst.
***
On Sept 13, 2013 - I celebrated my birthday in a cool atmosphere with my daughter Tanvi. Wife played the chief host, the special chef and the anchor of the show and also the woman with the mobile camera.
The same day/evening Narendra Modi too was busy.
He was '62 plus' then and within four days - that is Sept 17th -- he also had his birthday.
But the D-Day was Sept 13th, 2013, he was named by BJP president Rajnath Singh as the prime ministerial-face despite the opposition from senior members of the party including a sulking L K Advani.
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| Our homely celebration : Sept 13, 2013 |
"The BJP today has given a lowly soldier a big mission," Modi had said adding, - "God has given me a lot of strength". By then - he has been already the Gujarat chief minister and had won the state polls thrice. By then his governance apparatus in the state came to called the 'Gujarat model'. Gujarat under him and also before that has been a state with a desire for upward movement.
Analysts called is the march towards 'greater glories'. This became BJP's selling point for the elections. There was another version - the jaundiced view from the west.
One sample -- "Critics see him as an extremist who, when chief minister in 2002, allowed or even encouraged mobs to attack Muslims in towns across Gujarat after a lethal fire supposedly started by Muslims on a train full of Hindu pilgrims. He denies the charge." ('The Guardian', London, Sept 13, 2013)
Between 2005 and 2013, Modi consistently topped surveys of India's most popular politicians. But in 2005 - the US refused a visa to him.
Many western countries followed their own system of boycott.
In 2o12, Britain was rather compelled to end a 10-year diplomatic boycott imposed on Namo.
As expected the anti- Modi, Indian commentators wedded to Sickularism -- had their criticism for the UK decision.
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| Feb 27, 2002 - Modi in Godhha ::: Beginning of a journey |
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| Modi and Pak PM Nawaz Sharif - but adventurism did not work |
Cut to 2024 - Narendra Modi completed 10 years in office as India's Prime Minister. His third attempt to power was a mega democratic exercise in Indian politics.
On the counting day - June 4 (2024), his party's tally dropped to 240 - a sharp decline from 303 of 2019. Even Pakistanis rejoiced the Indian mandate. In India - the Christian lobby, the Muslim protagonists and the eco system and the Sickular bogey -- everyone thought he would be a "weak prime minister".
Articles ran - stating: "Many people also expressed anger at the (BJP) party’s heavy-handed approach to India’s institutions, including the media, which presented an almost uniformly pro-government narrative throughout the election".
Some of these assessments and analytical points were far from truth. But the mandate 2024 was a big 'lesson' for Namo and his lieutenant and friend Amit Shah.
Suddenly every one found a voice to attack Modi. Even 'beneficiaries' among Muslims - who got roads, homes and toilets - did not vote for BJP candidates.
But the refrain was different -- Narendra Modi has polarised society, common people like us worry about the future. In other words, every Muslim displayed their dislike for the Indian Prime Minister.
“This government failed to provide jobs or uplift the poor," said one.
"Worse, the BJP leaders and PM himself started talking about changing the constitution,” said newly elected Congress MP from Nagaland, Supongmeren Jamir.
“I was not very active about political issues previously. But the way Modi has been ruling India," said one Abdul Qasim in Faizabad - the parliament segment that houses Ram Temple and the seat was snatched by the Samajwadi Party.
Many soon found a new mission. Discredit Hindutva and mock at the Ram temple.
Well known anti-Modi media outlets -- ran quotes and stories --
-- Modi's seats dropped despite Ram temple. So what's the use of such a temple ?
“Building the Ram temple will not get my son a job," one father said in Kolkata. The gentleman supported Mamata Banerjee and even believed that by 2029 - Mamata will be in the top race for prime ministership.
Many like him forgot --- between 2024 and 2029 -- there will be 2026 and the state polls could bring the dramatic downfall for Mamata Banerjee.
"What will Hindus do now with the temple but no job?” -- several Congress leaders mocked.
Another article was poignant - "Modi’s Hindu nationalist agenda was seen as a powerful tool for him to win votes in the Hindi heartland. Yet many in Uttar Pradesh spoke of their disgust at the prime minister’s seemingly increasingly anti-Muslim rhetoric out on the campaign trail."
However, the BJP fought back and won several key assembly elections since 2024. It started with -- Haryana
Maharashtra, Assam and West Bengal.
By May 2026 - as West Bengal was wrested by the BJP; people realised the "negative signficance" of Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi was still the darling of the English media and many TV anchors.
But in 2014 - 'The Guardian' had said rather acidly -- "Rahul Gandhi with his political pedigree, privileged upbringing and distaste for public speaking, is very different from Modi, who is the son of a tea seller and known as one of the country's best performers at the rallies which are a key part of campaigning."
Rahul Gandhi was called -- "a mediocre public speaker who shuns the media".
Of course, in 2014 -- the popularity of Rahul Gandhi's Congress party was hit by a series of corruption scandals.
But people also remember the major downturn in the economy under UPA.
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| Every shake-hand is not "friendship" |
The 'July protest' marked the biggest escalation in tension between the two-month-old outfit and the Centre. The CJP called off its 49-day agitation only after the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. This was the only occasion Modi had to sack his Man Friday in long 25 years of power.
There was another other side of the story ... one Dubai company reportedly sent its employees with payments etc to participate in the CJP protest.
M Chuba Ao, former BJP national vice president, said in an article ----
"The people, some hundreds of protesters and political parties are trying to manufacture unrest or anarchy in the country. This anarchy -as a plot has not happened for the first time. The BJP was nowhere in scene when anti-Mandal Commission protest had happened.
Students even indulged in self-immolation but V P Singh or his Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed did not resign. In PM Modi’s case; he always handles things taking every matter in perspective. When he says ‘India first’; he actually means people first."
Now, over to people .... !!
ends
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