The Modi Wave Gains Momentum

The Modi Wave Gains Momentum

Style is as important as substance in politics, and perception is everything. Narendra Modi, always carefully dressed, calm and controlled, has demonstrated that he understands this truth with the respect it deserves, unlike most, if not all, of the political field passing over our TV screens for these months, in the studios, and on the campaign trail.

Narendra Modi does not visibly perspire, in his coloured galaband kurtas buttoned up to the top, and pastel coloured waistcoats with the Lotus party symbol prominent on his chest. His hair is always combed and beard trimmed. Sometimes he wears colourful headgear when the mood takes him. He drinks little water during speeches, that often last over half an hour, delivered at a  comfortable pace, modulating his voice to drive his points home.

Modi strictly does not rabble rouse, and yet gets a consistent response, a sure sign of a connect with his capacity audiences. He changes his pitch to suit the venue and location with great dexterity, peppering the big picture vision with the relevance of local issues. He clearly does his homework on the stump, despite multiple appearances in different parts of the country on any given day. He looks at his audience and straight into the cameras, does not need set speeches, and yet demonstrates great fluency and grasp, both of his material and message.

The effect of all this is that the ongoing 2014 general elections are pulling in the voters in unprecedented numbers. In the 5^th phase just completed, 121 parliamentary constituencies across 12 states went to the polls on Thursday 17^th April. Almost all the concerned states had higher voting percentages than in the general election of 2009. Of course, the voter lists too are much longer, with lakhs of first time and young voters added, but there is also a palpable excitement in the air. The electorate senses it is about to bring about a profound change in the destiny and direction of this nation. Modi is clearly that man of destiny, come to change our collective fortunes. And as he likes to joke, he is no Babbar Sher, to be feared, either.

High voter turnouts and polling to date also indicates that the people are not getting tired of the elongated schedule, drawn out over 6 weeks and nine phases. This, even at this 5^th encounter, more than half way through. Incidents involving problems with the EVMs and disruptions were recorded in a few instances this time too, but all have been noted by the EC and will lead to repolling where necessary.

The BJP is on most approving lips even in casual conversation. Most analysts too, view the markedly higher levels of voting as a noticeable manifestation of the Modi Wave on the ground. And not just in the media, as alleged by an envious and deeply worried Congress. Voting, in this instance, is tantamount to believing, and the Congress has not managed to say anything new  in a long time. They have just run a rear- guard and retreating action of heaping calumny on Narendra Modi  and hoping for the best.

The EC’s own extensive campaign to encourage people to exercise their franchise supported by several other public service advertisements, endorsements by celebrities and stars,  ‘the power of 49’ campaign to bring out even more women voters, have all had their effect too.

India is today a highly televised and increasingly online country, politicians can adapt or perish on this anvil. The oldtime radio jingles, spots and hoardings are also omnipresent. Are we then, perhaps more politically aware now?

But Modi’s  commanding TV presence, impeccably turned out, soaring oratory,  sonorously compelling voice, sense of humour, easy and spontaneous delivery, ability to connect with his audience, are all new phenomena in Indian electioneering. Nobody has made so much effort to get his point across to the electorate ever before and it is working.

The sound and video feed quality in our satellite channels live coverage has also improved dramatically, even from the Vajpayee days, also a tremendously engaging orator, just 10 years ago. Further back, in the abysmal Doordarshan terrestrial TV times, Indira Gandhi, for all her innate sophistication, used to rant on the stump; and Sonia Gandhi makes every asthmatic attempt to copy her.

Rahul Gandhi, like mom, rants too, just this side of hysteria, slovenly and unshaven a good deal of the time, looking harried and cornered, but always sadly low on content. Rahul, indeed sounds childish, his sister, come on the scene lately, looks raddled and sounds petulant, as if the effrontery of the Indian public is unforgiveable for not falling at the Congress first family’s feet. Sonia, feeling the strain, looks more and more like she is about to collapse. The age of television has  become somewhat all seeing.

The Congress spokespersons, with less to lose, still sound perpetually angry and frustrated, visibly rattled, resorting to insulting language, annoyed that the public prefers the BJP over them this time. Modi, who has climbed up a slippery political slope inch by inch in the face of enormous difficulties, has gained in stature tremendously as a consequence. He looks like he is in complete possession of himself, and yes, presidential in bearing and vision. There is no question of who is making the highest impact on the voter, who is drawing ever more and more supporters to his side.  

Kejriwal, the flash in the pan of recent times, looks unhealthy, greasy, dirty; he, whines and complains endlessly, but, as his campaign crashes, looks more and more depressed and beaten. Nothing it seems can be hidden anymore.  

Modi is the best speaker in the BJP too by a long chalk, followed by Rajnath Singh who speaks beautiful cultured Hindi, and carries himself with great dignity. And then  there is Arun Jaitley, the articulate legal beagle and ideologue of the top trio, with the best delivery in English of all in the BJP.

TV presence then, in addition to his sell-out, full-house rallies, his whole measured style, in televised campaign appearance after appearance, has left all the rest of the field far behind. The NaMo led BJP looks sure of winning a comfortable majority, even two thirds, in an epochal election. The nation waits for May 16^th and the counting. 

(1,046 words)

April 18^th, 2014

Gautam Mukherjee