In 2014, India voted against corruption, voted for development and jobs; in short, in search of “Ache Din” (Good days) and “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas” (collective efforts, inclusive growth). A pursuit that continued till 2019.
Riding on a wave, a nationwide agitation, backed by a huge anti-corruption movement by Anna Hazare, Indians spoke loud and clear, and gave an unprecedented mandate to Mr Narendra Damodardas Modi after 30 years, a clear majority for a strong government.
Many flagship programs were launched to substantiate the same, “Make in India”, “Skill India”, “Standup India” to name a few. As fancy as they make look on paper, all these schemes failed, doomed, dusted and died their own death due to lack of any support or real work to make them a reality.
In 2019, there was no mention of these popular schemes, and Mr Modi avoided the subject of these schemes in his own fashion. The hyped “black money” and demonetisation lost popularity very quickly and most of the banned currency is back in the system. Indians realized that the pursuit of “Ache Din” was a far cry. India saw the highest unemployment rate in four and a half decades and a rise in farmer suicides. Fuel prices were making a bigger hole than before in the pockets of the common man, and the Indian rupee remained in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in more critical condition than ever before along with the added factor of nationwide incidents of mob lynchings; this became the norm in the ‘New India’.
By April 2019, when the next general election was held and the people of India were given a chance to change their judgement, there was a feeling that Mr Modi wouldn’t win again.
On 23rd May 2019, when the results were announced, it was not just a wave, but an earthquake for sure, BJP emerged victorious in the territories impossible for the party in the past, and uprooted giant politicians in their strong home ground. BJP won 300+ seats, the highest it has ever won on its own; this came as a surprise to their own people.
The Writing On The Wall Was Clear, The Nation Chose Modi
Many asked how people gave such a strong mandate to Mr Modi irrespective of his many failures, incomplete promises, and divisive politics. What really went wrong for the Opposition? Where did Mr Modi go right?
If 2019 would have been just any general election the result also would have been as expected, but it wasn’t.
2019 was anything but another election. To me, it was a “cultural shift”, a “cultural evolution” and a “cultural revolution”. The preparation for which began just after the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Modi on 26th May 2014.
Liberals and those who play by the rules set before, criticized him for not having a single press conference during his tenure as PM but when he did, he made sure he didn’t speak. It wasn’t his inability to take direct questions in an open medium. If so, many things can be planned, planning a paid press conference for the richest party wasn’t a task, but it’s the shift Mr Modi wanted to make for the people.
There is always mute unrest between the elite “Indians” and the people far away from the limelight of the metros in the rural “Bharat”, this shift was challenging that elitism. BJP has always been known as a party of Urban India and their vote bank is secured here, now was the time to lure the populace of Bharat and this worked well.
Modi Ji doesn’t need any mediators to speak to his followers, he is one among us, he has a connection with us and speaks directly to us. He speaks to the people, whom he considers most important.
‘Mann ki baat’ was just the beginning of it and explaining how he eats mangoes was another strategic layer to it. Here is a man sitting at the helm of power, yet so plainly talking about things as if he is in a remote village somewhere.
The narrative was so consistent and strong that in due course it SHIFTED the entire game. The first card Modi played from his deck is now well laid out, the new rules were set, and the country was ready to play by it; the general feeling was, where my leader connects directly with me, speaks with me without anyone else speaking on my behalf, I believe what he says, after all, he is one among us and speaking to us.
Now was the time for an evolution, a “cultural evolution”, the kind the country never had seen before.
Using Fear As A Marketing Tool
Mr Modi is an election machine. In five years he didn’t miss any legislative elections, there isn’t a state where he did not campaign and if one can recall among all his speeches there was more but one constant “Pakistan”. The relationship with our neighbouring nation has been soaring since its inception.
This is nothing but a classic case of marketing, I firmly believe and often quote among my peers “it’s the fear which sells, it’s the business of panic” and it always works.
To understand this, take an example of any of the product advertisements, the majority of them are warning you what will go wrong if you do not use the product.
“If not this toothpaste, your tooth is under threat”. If not this oil, your hair is in extreme danger”. “If not this soap, your utensils are always under the attack of germs”. “If not this cleaner, you are living on a floor, full of diseases”.
Fear sells. It’s an interesting, complex emotion. It makes your pulse race faster, heart beat wildly. More interestingly, fear brings humans together.
In this case, Pakistan is that germ we are always under the threat of and Mr Modi is that lemon bar, always ready to fight hands-on and let our utensils be clean. To continue this narrative, it was important to keep reminding the people about the common enemy and the fear. Mr Modi outplayed his opposition in establishing this fear so much so that by 2019 he successfully established his Opposition as Pakistan sympathizer and he made it seem like he alone could keep India safe.
It was an evolution of Indians, before 2019, people used to vote for jobs, crime, inflation and other daily life issues. But now the narrative was set, people no longer asked questions on the unemployment rates, unplanned GST, draconic demonetisation, because a much bigger fear was generated.
“Desh Khatre me hai, desh ko bachana hai”, agar Modi hai to hi desh surakshit hathon me hai” (The country is in danger, we have to save the country. With Modi the country is in safe hands)
After a constant narrative of fear, it was time to sell the product. The statements like “Maine unko unke ghar me ghus ke mara” (I went into their homes and killed them) towards the end of his tenure totally established the fact that the country was in some extreme danger and to save it, Modi was the last hope.
Half the battle was won, but to destroy the opponent, you need a revolution. This wasn’t played by Mr Modi on the front foot, but strategically by the entire team.
The revolution which was pending and yet to happen from the time India was not a democratic country.
From the time of Mughals till now, a majoritarian religion in India is living in danger. This was the narrative that was perpetuated by the BJP. They tried to spread the idea that people were under threat in their own homes and they were being denied equal rights but now under Modi’s rule, this will no longer be the case.
The idea was to create a furore among the majority of the population in India. A series of mob lynching across India yet a usually vocal Modi remained silent on this issue; it was the beginning of this revolution. Appointing a ‘yogi’ (religious guru) as a head of one of the biggest states in India was the assurance to the needed revolution. BJP’s president Mr Amit Shah set the tone on how this battle would be fought.
Giving a ticket to Sadhvi Pragya was the last nail in the coffins of the Opposition and reassurance to the people that, we are here to do justice. Pragya Thakur was not painted as a terror accused, but a “victim”, a victim from the same clan who have been victimized in their own country for decades.
The message was clear, here is a leader, who speaks directly to us, shares the same ethos as we do, keeps us safe from the common bigger enemy and above all, fights for our rights, which haven’t been served in the last 70 years. The idea of roti, (food) kapda (clothing) aur makkan (house) was replaced by suraksha (safety) aur pehchan (Identity) and the rest is history.
Many of the people I know who took part in the Anna Hazare Movement, which indirectly helped Mr Modi to climb the ladder, have voted against him in 2019 in search of “Bad old days” before 2014.
But, was it enough? I would say, it’s too little and too late.
Many ask, what next? My take is, it’s not the end, it’s just the beginning, Modi has just begun his game, it’s not over yet. His communication with the nation has just begun.
The Genie is out of the bottle, it will only grow bigger and bigger and bigger.