Congress's resurgence in the 18th Lok Sabha Election: The Modi factor

Detractors of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have frequently labeled him as an autocrat, a hyper Hindu nationalist, a bigot, and, on occasion, even more unprofessionally as Chaiwala (Tea seller), nich (mean minded) or Chowkidar Chor (watchman is a thief).

The opposition’s choice of adjectives often appeared to be driven more by their apprehension of encountering Modi as a political rival rather than stemming from any ethical compulsion to oppose Modi’s actions which, on occasions, seemed overriding and detrimental to democracy.

Despite the opposition’s persistent stride to cast him in negative light, Narendra Modi remained indifferent to opposition’s disparagement. He instead felt glorified by use of such derogatory prefixes against his name, as long as he enjoyed the massive electoral mandate.

Facts suggest that the opposition’s persistent attempt to vilify Modi did not resonate with voters, even during the 18th Lok Sabha election, which was widely perceived as a mandate for a strong opposition. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (B.J.P) loss in the recent Lok Sabha election is ascribed to its own internal mismanagement, complacency of cadres about the illusion of achieving ‘400 paar’ (400+), lukewarm backing from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), public resentment about price rise, unemployment, Agniveer scheme and the success of the opposition in effectively capitalizing on these weaknesses.

At the face of all these challenges, Narendra Modi looked very confused and uneasy throughout the election campaign and seemed to have been struggling hard to find a compelling narrative to allure voters. As the election progressed through different phases, Modi transitioned from one agenda to another, recognizing that none were resonating with the voters. But with low confidence and no appealing political agenda, he managed to secure 240 seats for the B.J.P in the third term against visible anti-incumbency and united opposition. This shows that Modi’s invincibility might have eroded when other things being detrimental but not his individual image as the most popular vote catcher in elections.

Narendra Modi continues to deserve a large portion of the credit for the BJP's 240 seats in the recent Lok Sabha election. He remains the B.J.P’s most important mascot in the pursuit of the party’s electoral victory. However, the extent of Modi's ability to amass support from a diverse range of people, regardless of age or gender, has never been comprehended objectively. When the critics of the Prime Minister tend to reduce his appeal to his polarizing tactics, his admirers tend to elevate him to a cult figure, revered by millions of voters. Both these perspectives are skewed. Narendra Modi’s popularity among common electorates neither fully lies in his polarizing image nor in his cult personality.

Narendra Modi is, in fact, an industrious politician who invests considerable time and energy to remain in the psyche of the electorates. To billions of common Indians Narendra Modi embodies the image of a dedicated and dynamic politician who is seeking to restore India’s lost glory. Ordinary electorates consider him to be a credible leader who may shoulder the responsibility of taking India forward. This is the reason that the opposition’s persistent attempt to discredit Modi in particular did not resonate among Indian electorates. In 2024 Lok Sabha election, the opposition had been cautious of simply not spilling venom against Narendra Modi as it might backfire. So, the opposition was far more organized, tactically correct and focused on local issues and did the social engineering on caste lines quite proficiently which at last eroded the might of Narendra Modi to a great extent.

Modi’s rise has ushered a new era in Indian politics, one that seems to have increased rivalry as well as competition. Narendra Modi turned politics into a fierce contest. Narendra Modi’s propensity to leave no stone unturned for electoral victory has prompted his opponents to replicate this hard work and reach electorates by perspiration. Modi's unique style of rebranding himself in several incarnations, from a Hindu messiah to a Bikash Purush (development icon), has driven the opposition to abandon their immobility and elitist attitude and understand the aspiration of voters in modern India. Modi's tireless efforts to connect with people not only through traditional election rallies, but also through a variety of other means, have not only made voters more aware of their importance as stakeholders in democracy, but have also forced India's elitist politicians to recognize the power of the people.

Narendra Modi is the first leader to have made India’s Diaspora take active interest in the internal politics of the country and identify themselves as proud NRIs. Prior to Narendra Modi, NRIs had only symbolic value in Indian elections. The political analyst admits that the Diaspora’s influence had been marginal throughout most of India’s modern history. But this has changed since Modi took power in 2014…. His Mann Ki Baat (Intimate conversation of mind), Chai Pe Charcha (Dialogue over a cup of tea), mega road shows, and extensive utilization of social media for engaging with the electorates have, in fact, served as a wake-up call to the opposition parties, signalling a departure from the traditional practice of sporadic public appearances just before the election season in India. Individuals in the realm of public life are now compelled to put in continuous effort to uphold their standing.

Narendra Modi's impromptu oratory skill and his ability in establishing a rapport with audiences, both domestic and international, have introduced a new era of heightened efficiency in the political realm of India. Modi is inclined to present a smart and distinctive image than his counterparts. This encourages him to thoroughly prepare to address crowds, foreign delegates and media. This has motivated many top leaders in Indian politics to do lot of homework before presenting their viewpoint before the masses. Opposition leaders from cross section of parties were influenced by Modi’s style of dealings in public life and had to groom themselves to match his standard, sometimes unintentionally. Most visible example of this is Rahul Gandhi himself. Not too many years ago Rahul Gandhi was often mocked by the media for making silly mistakes in conversation and he lacked confidence to face media and the general public. Rahul Gandhi was often criticized for having closed door interaction with the youths during his visit to various educational institutions.

Rahul used to get attention for calling out something wrong. He exposed his ignorance badly when he called that there are 546 seats in the Lok Sabha in 2017. He was trolled when he made a slip of tongue to refer to Karnataka Government’s subsidized food service facility as ‘amma’ canteen. Rahul Gandhi confused between two Hindi words ‘Bhrashtachar’ (Corruption) and ‘Balatkar’ (Rape) while addressing a women’s rally in Madhya Pradesh. Rahul embarrassed his party when he unexpectedly embraced Narendra Modi in the parliament and then winked to nuetralize his own unusual gesture. His hugging of a lady in a photo-op mistaking her as member of the victim’s family at a hospital in Una in Gujarat also surprised many. The worst manifestation of Rahul Gandhi’s infantile behavior was seen when he thrashed the Ordinance of his own government in 2013 causing huge embarrassment to the then PM Manmohan Singh. Congress chief spokeperson Ajay Maken was busy defending the ordinance when Rahul hijacked the platform to tear it to shreds. Minutes after Rahul left, Maken changed his tune saying Rahul’s view’s were the party’s views and it was virtually the end of the ordinance. His use of the term ‘nonsense’ during the press meet for the said ordinance revealed his inability to comprehend the gravity of the situation and his superiority complex as a ‘Gandhi’. He denigrated the authority of his own PM just hours before his meeting with the U.S. President Barack Obama without having understanding the long term implications of his action in politics. His actions often validated the B.J.P’s allegation of Congress being a party of dynasts, thus reinforcing the dichotomy between ‘Naamdar’ and ‘Kaamdar’ (Dynasts vs

industrious). He used to provide alibi to his critics to call him the best bet for the B.J.P and Narendra Modi’s future political fortune. But this conviction of the B.J.P began to lose appeal once Rahul Gandhi started working upon himself to match Narendra Modi’s persona. Over the last few years Rahul Gandhi transformed himself to a great deal in terms of building confidence in him, public speaking, interacting media and dealing with ordinary masses and showing respect to fellow colleagues. He gradually acknowledged the fact that politics in India has changed a great deal from what it was during the days of his ancestors. Now top position in a party does not come handy. It needs to be sustained by dint of hard labour and competing with tough rivals like Narendra Modi. Thankfully, in due course Rahul Gandhi underwent substantial transformation to prove himself as a dependable political leader and this had its reflections in the Lok Sabha election results of 2024. The more important message of the eighteenth Lok Sabha election was the trust that people reposed in the opposition, with Rahul Gandhi being regarded as the undeclared face of the opposition. Nevertheless, what remained unexplored was the revival of the Congress party, an accomplishment made possible by the evolution of Rahul Gandhi as a responsible leader at the face of a determined opposition like Narendra Modi. Modi’s rise in Indian politics precipitated a do and die situation for the opposition and particularly for the Gandhis. At last, the Gandhi siblings realized the imperative need to step out of their comfort zone and relinquish the luxury of addressing issues at their own discretion. In a way, Narendra Modi compelled them to foresee their grim future in Indian politics and give their best to turn the tide in their favour. The Gandhi siblings devoted considerable effort and succeeded to present a credible challenge to Narendra Modi. Today, both the siblings seemed to have mastered the art of politics and some credit for that surely goes to Narendra Modi.

It would not be an exaggeration to state that 2014 Lok Sabha election campaigning of Narendra Modi was a watershed in the electoral history of India which changed the political culture and electoral landscape of the country forever. Never in India's election history has a politician emerged as such a beacon of hope for the people. Never before has a campaign been executed with such ingenuity and precision. Starting from September 15 2013, when Narendra Modi addressed his first rally after being anointed as the BJP’s PM candidate till May 10 2014, Narendra Modi addressed 437 historic rallies across India from Jammu to Kanyakumari, from Amreli to Arunachal Pradesh. During this period, he travelled to cover almost 3 lakh kilometers. Besides, he held 1350 rallies nationwide through 3D technology. Response to his Bharat Vijay rallies was astounding. Wherever he walked, chants of 'Modi Modi Modi' filled the air. People of all ages, castes, and creeds gathered in large number. Narendra Modi reached out to people in millions through his rallies. Technology was used to its full potential which was never seen before in any election campaign in India. Use of technology has been one of the highlights of the Modi campaign and the 3D rallies through which the BJP leader connected with people in multiple places have been a big hit. Modi has interacted with people at the chats held across 4000 locations in 24 states in several rounds and, internationally, across 50 locations in 15 countries. In fact, election campaigning of Narendra Modi had influenced Indian politics more than his victory. His campaign set aside the caste, class and regional divide to a great extent in a deeply diverse country like India. He made his call for ‘Achhe Din’ (Good time) resonate with all Indians, even those who would not have voted for him. His campaigning set a new model of mass outreach in Indian elections. Modi’s 2014 campaign trail also ushered the era of politics of hard work and diligence which has consolidated over the last decade. In 2019, Narendra Modi held 142 rallies and visited 26 states. The opposition vehemently criticized Modi for attempting to politicize the ‘Pulwama Attack’ and ‘Balakot surgical strike'. But the unapologetic Narendra Modi did exactly the same. He appealed to voters, particularly the first time voters, to dedicate their vote to the martyrs of Pulwama and the brave hearts of the Indian Army who avenged the death of Pulwama martyrs by Balakot strike. Modi’s hard work succeeded to

create a pan-India emotion which resulted in a larger victory for the BJP than in 2014. In 2024, PM Modi made a new record of 75 day campaigning. At a time when the country is facing an unprecedented heatwave, PM Modi held 206 rallies, roadshows, and events - up from 142 in 2019 - and gave as many as 80 interviews. Modi's commitment to electoral victory was evident this time as well, despite the absence of an appealing subject to energize the voter. People felt disillusioned to listen to his non-issues like ‘ possible theft of mangal sutra’ (auspicious thread of Hindu marriage), ‘impending imposition of sharia law’, ‘Congress conspiracy for Muslim reservation’ and so on, while staying silent on pressing livelihood issues of common Indians. Yet Narendra believed that the people of India would repose trust on whatever he said. In the last ten years, Narendra Modi has been at the centre stage of the BJP's all poll plank, whether it was a modest gathering of Indians rescued from a foreign country or a mega international event like the G20, achievement of the Indian Army, the incredible success of the ISRO scientists, the triumph of the Indian athletes at the Olympics, the inauguration of the Ram Mandir, and so on. He was always seen to steal the spotlight. Narendra Modi's diligence and capacity to adapt to different situations gave him the advantage to use each situation to try to leave a lasting impact in the minds of voters. Narendra Modi makes his each foreign trip a memorable experience by dint of adding a personal style and warmth to it. When he raises a glass of ginger ale or water in lieu of wine at high-level meetings of world leaders and gifts them sesame seeds, the Bhagavad Gita, and other indigenous items related to India's culture and civilization, a large number of people both inside and outside the country appreciate his rootedness and respect for Indian tradition in foreign lands. This made him an exceptionally popular Prime Minister and gave him the confidence of winning election third time as well with huge margin. But his dreams did not come true the way he thought of it. He got the third term but with the fear of insecurity and against a powerful opposition. Narendra Modi and his party must have learned the lesson of the inherent difficulty of relying on personality cult. It might backfire and sink the ship at any moment. Popularity is a momentary phenomenon which does not endure. There is a limit to the showmanship of an individual. Narendra Modi perhaps has realized it and is trying to reinvent himself as an accommodative leader and an efficient coalition builder in his third term. The opposition expected that ugly skirmishes would break out over portfolios during the formation of the ministry. But the council has been formed with both continuity and change in mind and it has been designed with utmost representation in terms of region. In his public appearances Narendra Modi seems far more modest and adjustable. Narendra Modi's determination to prove him the best, as well as his capacity to respond to the circumstances, would drive him to succeed in his new role as an effective coalition leader. This may be expected depending on Modi’s track record as a hardworking politician, although it is too early to make any definitive statement.

It is true that there is much to criticize about Narendra Modi and happily there is no dearth of it both within and outside the country. Narendra Modi’s dominant style of functioning, his alleged misuse of various government agencies to intimidate the opposition and his divisive rhetoric during the election campaigns attracted displeasure of cross section of population over a period of time. But this essay is about focusing on Narendra Modi’s remarkable persistence and tenacity to resist these allegations, which has left the opposition powerless at times and made India’s electoral space more competitive and challenging in character. Modi may not have fulfilled all of his promises. He may also have frequently used divisive tactic for electoral gain. However, it is evident that he tried to maintain his dominance in politics by dint of hard labour and not just by polarizing masses as is often alleged. Narendra Modi, in a sense, forced opposition leaders to react and resort to hard work, often against their will.