 "GhoseSpot | With sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections ongoing, Modi’s vision appears clear")
As the polling under the sixth phase of the Indian general elections is on, the world awaits what’s ahead in the destiny of the largest democracy. However, after Narendra Modi’s epic ‘town hall’ style interview by a veteran media anchor, there is little point in splitting hairs with further analysis of the polls.
A politician of Modi’s stature will not put at stake his reputation built over a lifetime with premature bravado. The sanguineness exuded by the prime minister could come only from supreme confidence and inner conviction about his return for a third term.
Therefore, it would not be inopportune to stick one’s neck out and look at life beyond June 4, 2024, when the results of the elections are going to be officially announced.
The prime minister has himself alerted the people against conspiracies to delegitimise the mandate by raising doubts about the electoral process and the tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Some alarmists among them have raised apprehensions about a “peaceful transfer of power” in the event that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not get the requisite numbers to form a government. Many of them will be looking at their sponsors across the shores for a wink and a nod to up the ante. There were muted attempts to create smoke around the results even in 2019, but those attempts were dispelled by the elated mood of the country at large after the astonishing outcome. However, this time around, the detractors appear to be more ‘battle-ready’. This is apparent from the innuendos already being built up through social media.
However, Modi’s detractors can be certain of a déjà vu. The fantasy scenarios painstakingly built by them over months will again be rudely deflated. First, as the prime minister has openly hinted, the government is fully aware of the plans that are afoot and prepared to neutralise any ill-advised misadventures. Second, the external quarters from whom these groups may be looking for succour seem to have accepted Modi 3.0 as a certainty. More importantly, this is not like accepting the situation as fait-accompli, but because they are convinced that the continuation of Narendra Modi would be in their best national interest.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThis sentiment is apparent in the utterances of many foreign government officials and the changing tune of some international media outlets, which were earlier unidimensionally critical of the Modi dispensation. Finally, those orchestrating the “democracy in danger” chorus on social media constitute a minuscule percentage of the population. In India, the power of the ballot truly rests with the masses. Once the people decide, no power in the world can run a steamroller over their mandate. This was demonstrated in 1977, at the height of the emergency, and in election after election. Any insidious attempt to upturn the popular mandate in a country of 1.4 billion people can be fraught with dangerous consequences that the world cannot imagine and no one will attempt to play with. And Modi will not allow any such distractions to derail the nation, even momentarily.
As the prime minister’s recent public discourses indicate, in his third term, he is likely to get into mission mode from Day 1. Therefore, his inauguration will be marked by some big-ticket announcements that will not only be of major importance nationally but also from a global perspective.
The prime minister has often remarked that after 10 years in office, he will be among the most senior world leaders from across continents. A point of rancour for Modi has been some caustic comments made when he first assumed office as prime minister in 2014 about his ability to operate in diplomatic circles without any prior international exposure.
Knowing Modi, he will not be satisfied with being counted only by the number of years spent in office, but he would want to be accorded a place as an equal in the global high table along with the Big Five. India’s admission to the UN Security Council would definitely feature among one of the key foreign policy objectives of Modi 3.0. Surely, S Jaishankar will be his comrade in arms on the foreign policy front, but one will wait to see if he inducts a new National Security Adviser in place of Ajit Doval, who would be completing his second term in a highly taxing job.
It will be interesting to watch the new faces Modi brings into his cabinet. To achieve his stated goal of making India an economic superpower, the economy will no doubt require the highest priority. Several states will go in for elections in the next twelve months, principally Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry. Modi’s first two terms have demonstrated the importance of “double engine sarkar(s)” for rolling out reforms on a national scale. Apart from winning the Assembly elections, Modi will have to ensure that the states that are already under BJP rule are firing on all cylinders. For that, Modi needs many more “Yogi Adityanath(s)” in the states to deliver on his ‘development’ and ‘governance’ agendas. One can, therefore, expect to see some interesting talent swaps between the Centre and the states, with some key central portfolios being held by Modi’s trusted proteges. This will also allow him benchroom to accommodate a few of the regional stalwarts, like Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the Centre, as well as some of the alliance partners with union berths.
Modi realises the importance of social harmony more than many of his self-avowed ‘secular’ opponents. With the heat and dust of the elections behind and Ram Mandir a done deal, it is time to apply a ‘healing touch’. In Modi’s playbook, this will not come through the achievement of ‘Sabka Vikas’, aka universal welfare schemes. However, that will not happen at the cost of internal security considerations. Therefore, it will be a mistake to think that an agenda such as CAA will be put in cold storage.
Modi has long indicated that the 100-day plan for his new government is ready. Expect it to be rolled out no sooner than the carpets have been rolled back after the swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan early next month.
The author is a current affairs commentator, marketer, blogger and leadership coach, who tweets at @SandipGhose. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.
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