Five reasons why Modi won in Gujarat

Modi has won and won BIG in Gujarat! Where he was supposed to lose or be in “close fight”.. he won big. The Congress and the Communists did not leave any stone unturned to characterise him as a “Hitler” and “merchant of death”. Yet, he succeeded. How did this happen?

Just for the record, this was the result (in no. of seats won):

Total – 182
BJP+ – 117
Cong+ – 62
Ind & Oth – 3

There were sting operations from Tehelka – the timing being so uncanny that one can assume that they were politically “inspired”. The mainstream media also did not have any restrain in comdemning Modi at every thing. And in all this his only negative during his rule was the riot of 2002. Beyond that whatever he has done has been positive for his state. He has run the state in a way that had little corruption and prosperity was high.

Here are my 5 reasons why Modi really won:

1. He says what he will deliver and delivers what he says: He talks about clean administration and promises prosperity and delivers it. That is the greatest asset for any politician. Most of the politicians – even businessmen and professionals – cannot or do not do so. It is something that people ultimately assess you against. Modi started his campaign on just THIS platform. The Congress digressed into the other issues of 2002 incidents. They used the tactics they had used to defeat BJP in the last elections by sending videos etc. This time they were stumped. Modi kept at it on the administration platform while rebuffing the Congress and CPM.

2. He became a Gujarati’s identity: He smartly associated his own persona with Gujarat. So any attack after a while was really being seen as an “attack on Gujaratis”! Sonia and other Congress and Communist leaders kept on talking against Modi and that was seen by the Gujarati electorate as someone attacking them.

3. His personality has no ambiguity: If he does not care about Muslims, he is clear about that. No matter what the media says.. he maintains it. If he is for administration, he is for it no matter what others say. There is no ambiguity about what he is about! Other politicians are double-speaking all the time so you always come off with the feeling that you cannot trust them.

4. His opposition to Muslims is characterised as a reaction: To any Hindu, his message of Muslim opposition comes not as a suo moto action, but as a reaction! Because Godhra happened, the riots were a reaction. The justification becomes easier and understandable… and indeed “just”. The fact that his last five years were the only riot free years of administration in a long time in Gujarat emphasized this point. That, on his own, his administration will never mess with the Muslims, but as soon as someone messes with the majority community, he will not leave them.

Now, that is a VERY different promise from what the “fascists” indulge in – like Hitler, who he is often compared with. Hitler killed Jews suo moto in a deliberate action. Modi’s action was more of a “reaction”. So it was easier for him to justify to his electorate.

5. He kept the issues local: He identified the issues with the local people. It was easy for the people to associate with those. The Congress talked of the national politics instead and that is how their message could not ring in true with the local people.