Modi vs others: Why corruption will be non-issue in 2014 polls

The polarizing personality of Hindutva’s poster-boy, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi, is set to have a defining impact on the 2014 general elections in more ways than one. Modi’s elevation as the BJP’s National Campaign Committee chairman for the 2014 elections has, in a single stroke, knocked out corruption as a major electoral issue for 2014. Given the mega scams that have rocked the two terms of the Congress-led UPA government such as the 2G spectrum scam, Coalgate, Commonwealth Games scam and the Railway Board recruitment scam among others, corruption has emerged as the single-biggest issue confronting the government. This is the same story that is playing out in a major state like Maharashtra where the Congress and its alliance partner, the NCP, have been embroiled in the Adarsh Housing Society scam and the irrigation department scam, among others.[caption id=“attachment_863161” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. PTI[/caption] It was a spate of scams across the country that gave rise to the anti-corruption mood among the people and led to the emergence of the civil society’s Jan Lokpal movement led by social worker Anna Hazare. At its peak, this movement forced the government on the back-foot and then fizzled out, only to be revived feebly with the launch of Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party. Corruption as an electoral issue in the 2014 polls is a given, but now stands overshadowed by the personality of Narendra Modi. The Gujarat chief minister’s projection by the BJP as their de facto prime ministerial candidate has become an electoral issue in itself. Modi will inevitably raise the issue of corruption under the UPA during his election campaigning, but what will draw more attention is his presence and personality. What will continue to haunt Modi throughout the run-up to the elections is the failure of the Gujarat government in stemming the 2002 Gujarat riots and allegations of his personal complicity in failing to take prompt action. The Congress’s face-off with Modi has its challenges. The dominance of the “Modi factor” over issues of corruption will certainly come in as a relief and the Congress campaign can be expected to focus on secularism and security for the minorities with repeated references to the 2002 Gujarat rioting. The Congress will also project its flagship programmes such as rural employment through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, the Aadhar-based cash transfer scheme and the food security bill which the government is eager to pass as legislation or an ordinance to get it going. The Congress’s campaign will thus focus on secularism, security for the minorities and inclusive growth while countering Modi’s attack on corruption under the UPA and poor governance. However, over-playing the post-Godhra riots card to secure the support of the minorities and others could have its pitfalls for the Congress as this could lead to an adverse reaction from dormant Hindu voters which is exactly what the RSS and the Hindutva parties would be hoping for. Modi presents a dilemma for a large number of people: He is admired and hailed as an icon of good governance in Gujarat and at the same time, despised by sections of the population for his failure to prevent the 2002 riots and apologize for that failure. Modi is seen as an example of assertive Hindutva and a champion of growth and development. The RSS is not wrong in making Modi the mascot of the BJP’s poll campaign for 2014. He not only has an enviable track record that speaks for itself but is also a fine orator who can move the people, especially the youth. Modi, as a chief minister for four terms, is sharp and an able electoral strategist, having successfully led the party’s campaigns in Gujarat and fought numerous elections on his own. It is evident that the entire calculation of the RSS-BJP strategists rests on the expectation that Modi’s polarizing personality will win them far more voters and converts in comparison to those who despise him and would cast an anti-BJP vote. The signs are more or less clear: Although the country stands plagued by corruption—be it political or non-political as evidenced by the latest IPL betting and match-fixing scam—corruption won’t be the dominant electoral issue in the 2014 polls.