Scam Or No Scam, Modi’s Party Goes On
Will Narendra Modi be re-elected in 2019? Will he go to the people with achievements of the government, accomplished in the last five years, or will he count on a fresh set of promises?
When Modi went to the people in 2014, he famously said that he was going to be their “pradhan chowkidar”. Anti-corruption was going to be their main plank. This struck a chord with the people.
The UPA II, under Manmohan Singh, was widely perceived to be a corrupt, ineffectual government, where ministers around the PM plundered the exchequer. The last word on the 2G scam has not been heard, and the figure of presumptive loss to the nation inflicted by an ally in the government, was made a big electoral issue by the BJP.
Among other scams, the BJP listed the CWG scam, and the coal scam. The BJP said that while personal integrity of PM Singh was not to be doubted, he proved just as ineffective “in checking the loot that went on for some time”.
BJP critics say that the party peaked in the 2014 elections. It won by handsome margins in the Hindi heartland, most notably in Uttar Pradesh.
Today, there’s a new spring in the strides of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. After his impressive showing in Gujarat, and criss-crossing of the heartland, Rahul is concentrating on other poll-bound states. It’s still not very clear whether Rahul can be declared the PM candidate of the combined Opposition.
Some efforts are underway to mount a unified challenge to PM Modi and the BJP in the 2019 elections. The Congress and the NCP may go together in Maharashtra, to begin with. It’s being observed with interest whether the regional parties in Uttar Pradesh will be able to put aside their personal antagonism to mount a unified challenge to the ruling party.
So, will Modi be re-elected in 2019?
While anti-corruption remains the BJP’s – particularly Modi’s – main plank, the recent PNB loot by Nirav Modi and accomplices has taken the sheen off it. The government and its ministers may hold the RBI and other regulatory bodies responsible, and may harp on the fact that the scam had its origins in the UPA era, but the fact remains that it has marred the Modi government’s report card. Little wonder then, that Rahul Gandhi is often seen mocking Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and even PM Modi’s slogan of “na khaoonga, na khaane doonga”.
Some observers have drawn parallels between Modi and Manmohan Singh. Like Modi, Manmohan Singh too had never been charged with corruption personally. He, like Modi, was feted for his “unimpeachable personal integrity”.
In the latest instance too, a redeeming feature for the BJP government has been the fact that Modi’s personal popularity remains unmatched; his personal record remains spotless.
So, will Modi be re-elected?
The BJP is betting yet again on Modi, to see it through, not just at the national level, but also in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the party is battling huge anti-incumbency.
Indeed, this alone gives the BJP hope. The party is talking to all its chief ministers and contemplating whether it can hold a mini general election, with Modi’s Presidential-kind of campaign.
So, will Modi be re-elected again?
If the BJP comes back to power in the 2019 elections, and the states ruled by the BJP, see its re-run, it will be entirely due to Modi’s personal appeal and charisma. But what does it say about the party?
