After the death of Pramod Mahajan—the BJP’s main strategist and fund raiser—the party has been unable to fill the gap. Narendra Modi can. Besides, he moves fast with the times: the Gujarat Chief Minister is very technology oriented, with original election-friendly ideas like 3D projections during his campaigns. His tweets are updated with a speed not even the prime minister’s office can. People see him as more liberal than the Singh Parivar of Manmohan and Montek.
Individual over issues: Modi has come a long way in a decade; from a villain in 2002, demonised as an anti-Muslim despot, his government facing many cases of complicity in the Gujarat riots and his confidantes jailed. Ironically, an adverse judicial verdict could be enough to plummet him into a zero from a hero. However, in Goa his confidant Amit Shah was present at his side wearing a tusser kurta many a time. Modi played on the sentiments of the cadres and the office bearers because he knew the BJP was bereft of an ideology and missing a leader, unlike many of its hopeful satraps who have never won an election. Modi was like a good mason who knew where the cracks in the edifice were and how they had to be cemented properly to prevent a collapse. For the first time, the BJP national executive would be focusing on an individual instead of issues. Outside the protected environs of the Marriott hotel where the meet was being held, it was Modi mantra all the way—both the media and grass roots supporters were focused on the events swirling rapidly around the Gujarat honcho, particularly on whether he would be nominated as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. As party patriarch and senior leaders—some of them like Uma Bharati who didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire—stayed away from the seaside resort. Modi, as the democratic dictator had the last laugh. Leaders like Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, openly called for Modi’s appointment as the party’s election chief.
The Goa factor: For a state sold on susegat (laid back in Konkani language) attitude, the drama associated with the ruling BJP was proving too much to handle. Starting from the huge cutouts, advertisements in the newspapers—Rajnath Singh and Narendra Modi as the main protagonists, local BJP has made sure that Goa proves to be second-time lucky for Modi. In 2002, he had survived a possible sack—ironically with last minute support from L K Advani after the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee wanted him removed after the Gujarat riots. The overcast skies not only kept the Goans inside, but also clouded party affairs. Advani’s absence was the biggest sore point. “When the season changes, people get unwell,” Prakash Javadekar, party spokesman said. Though the pun was unintended, the statement reflected power shift within the party. It was for the first time since the inception of the party that Advani chose to stay away from a national executive meeting. However, victory is a long way off for Modi. Even if he is made chairman of the campaign committee, the membership process will not be easy. None of the senior leaders would want to work under him as they have held much senior posts. Questions are being raised whether this will be acceptable to senior leaders. There is speculation on whether BJP president Rajnath Singh is playing his own games and would use Modi’s unacceptability to the senior leadership to induct GenNext leaders like Rudy, Shahnawaz Hussain, Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani types as members. The Goa conclave is likely to yield the answers to such questions.
The security at the venue was tight; even the news hungry media and TV reporters looking for a controversy were kept out of the proceedings. Javadekar promised, “Wait for the announcement tomorrow. Cadres will go back energised,” raising hopes that despite patriarch’s opposition, party may go ahead with Modi’s elevation owing to the popular pressure. Modi will speak on Sunday twice at the conclave. First during the National Executive meeting attended by close to 380 leaders, and later at 2,000 strong crowd of party workers at Taligaon. All eyes will be on his speech to workers as it is likely to reveal his vision for the party and the way he wants to take the fight against the UPA ahead. The speech is likely to be open for media will be telecast live across the country.