PM Modi is a great event manager, but what stops Rahul from being one?

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to wow the Indian diaspora with his trademark oratorical flourish peppered lavishly with all nice things the countrymen want to hear and garnished with a touch of theatrics, the Congress is left stupefied with the growth of Brand Modi. The prime minister has proved to be the great master of the art of communicating, something the Congress hasn’t quite developed an appetite for. Despite the massive drubbing in the general election, the party is yet to acknowledge the reality that communication matters as a political tool and the harsh fact that its leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, are miserable communicators. Modi’s much hyped visit to the United States thus appears to be a case of sour grapes. [caption id=“attachment_1736745” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PM Narendra Modi. PTI image[/caption] The fact that America had in 2005 barred Narendra Modi from travelling to the US, over his alleged complicity in the 2002 post-Godhra riots, has added more zing to this visit by an Indian prime minister than it has in the past few decades. The Congress claims the much hyped ‘Make in India’ campaign is a rehash of the UPA’s e-biz platform which was formally launched on 20th January this year. The National Manufacturing Policy, 2011 was aimed to create a platform which would provide all information on investments, approvals and mandatory clearances. “He has been marketing all projects conceived and executed by UPA government as his own,” said Digvijaya Singh, senior Congress leader, adding, “He has amazing marketing skills.” But what’s stopping the Congress from marketing itself? No one in the party seems to have an answer. Though the party is convinced Modi has nothing new to offer in terms of schemes, and he would only do well for himself if he carried forward the legacy of the UPA regime. The fact remains that the public at large is willing to lap up whatever Modi offers, and that in itself is an art that the Congress is unable to fathom. That manifested itself again at Madison Square Garden, when Modi spoke of starting a “movement” for development along the lines that Mahatma Gandhi espoused, touching a raw nerve with Congressmen. “If Modi really believes in values of Gandhiji, he doesn’t need to start any new movement. All he needs to do is to start following it himself, the rest will automatically fall in place,: said Akhilesh Pratap Singh, national spokesperson of the Congress. “Gandhiji’s ahimsa (non violence) was based on Sarva Dharma Sambhaav (all religions are equal), but Modi only wants publicity,” he added. Almost a year ago, since after he took over as BJP’s Campaign Chief for the Lok Sabha polls, Modi has led from the front in communicating with India. He revitalised a disunited BJP into a single cohesive unit and used digital media to enhance his reputation as a man of the masses, especially to the youth. The Congress has been a reluctant adversary in this field, running a distant second to Modi’s brand of vibrant communication. “Modi has no official work except with UNGA on this trip, the rest are all well managed events,” said a senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity. “Unlike Manmohan Singhji, there was no red carpet welcome for him (Modi). Despite no coverage on CNN and BBC, he has been able to sell his trip. We have not been able to counter him properly,” he admitted. What makes the two sides totally imbalanced in Modi’s favour is the Congress vice president himself. Though his party spent close to Rs 500 crore on publicity and campaign including his image makeover, Rahul Gandhi has failed to leave a lasting impression on the general public. Apart from a flash in the pan when he walked into the well of the House in Parliament over the Communal Violence Bill in August, the Gandhi scion has been found wanting in his role as a leader of the principal opposition party. Despite Modi’s so called “gag orders” on his ministers, and keeping media at an arm’s length, he still reaches out to his audience via social media and the PMO website has more updates than most government sites. As for the Congress, its time they moved on beyond press conferences and press releases. Communication has been turned into an art and Modi playing the perfect artist. Is Rahul Gandhi listening?