Outlook’s story on the rise and rise of Narendra Modi was interesting and informative (The Masque of Augurs, Dec 31). Modi has proven that good governance and development transcend all barriers of religious fundamentalism, communalism and regionalism in Gujarat. Modi is a genuine leader in the sea of corrupt Indian politicians, and is passionate about development. Gujarat was fairly undeveloped before Modi; now, it has surplus power, and attracts more industry than all states put together.
K. Chidanand Kumar, Bangalore It remains to be told why Modi is still saleable after his third poll win in Gujarat. He’s eminently marketable in the media, and draws in high trp figures. Apart from other things, his usp is that he’s been branded dangerously ‘communal’. Outlook should have had more balanced reportage, asking why really he’s a favourite of 6 crore Gujaratis.
H.C. Pandey, Delhi Narendra Modi has an image of being a good administrator and an able CM. But it remains to be seen if an obc leader would face obstacles—open and hidden—from the Brahminical/upper-caste-dominated Sangh parivar.
G. Anuplal, Bangalore I wonder why the likes of Markandey Katju won’t utter a word when parties like the Congress win elections by assaulting the spirit of the Constitution, but lose no time in railing against the bjp. The balderdash about Modi does not make it clear why he is such a threat to our democracy. When a ysr fights elections by fielding a disproportionately higher number of Reddy candidates, and wins over the hearts of the poor by distributing liquor and currency notes, our partisan intellectuals term it the politicisation of caste and criminality in electioneering.
Viswanath, Kurnool, AP Modi’s impressive triumph is based on his claims of good governance and his ability to sell those claims to voters. He focused solely on development, Gujarati pride, and the sorry state of the Congress. The result also reflects the continuing polarisation of Gujarat’s voters, underscored as much by demographics as by the inability of Modi’s opponents to target him on governance.
J.S. Acharya, Hyderabad Modi deserves his victory. His sadbhavna yatras, using the image of Swami Vivekananda and the ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ summits all managed to consolidate support not only amongst the urban middle class, but also mesmerised sections who were not traditional supporters of the bjp.
K.S. Padmanabha, Secunderabad If Modi manages to hop down to Delhi, he has to run the gauntlet of coalition politics and do it all by himself to be effective. Otherwise he’ll just be another also-ran.
George Jacob, Kochi Harish Khare’s column on Modi’s victory and his persona (See It Only In 3D..., Dec 31) is an example of how you can attack someone’s reputation to spew every last drop of bile on him. Modi, says Khare, was promoted by nris, and coerced minorities by instilling fear through the police. He even recalls how just ten years earlier Modi was a mere district-level leader. This proves how in India democracy has little hope left against dynastic demons controlling most parties.
Urvi Oa, Pune It seems Khare has been coming unhinged lately. He says Modi won the Gujarat election by ‘dabanggiri’. Can any fair-minded person say that the Gujarat election was not free and fair?
B.D. Trivedi, Ahmedabad What is wrong with Khare? The strangest of his claims is that Modi has got the media—which has been baying for his blood for the last ten years—to do his bidding.
B.V. Shenoy, Bangalore Nirmala Sitharaman’s insight is brilliant (Dimensional Appeal, Dec 31). Like a normal CM Modi should not have gone in for development, but should have plotted his own downfall by satisfying secular eminences like herself!
Joshua Miranda, Chennai With friends like Shiv Visvanathan (Janus Shut The Door, Dec 31), the Congress needs no foe. The grand old party needs to wake up and smell the coffee, for Modi has shown them how things are done, and what an effective, articulate leader can do.
Suraj, Brea, US Madhu Kishwar’s column The Kettle Hits Back was amazing. I was impressed at her intellectual honesty. It gives me hope for journalists.
Krishna Vimal, Munich I read the interviews of common Gujaratis at the receiving end of the Modi regime (Hope-Nots) with interest. The clearly manufactured personal-interest story on Ansari has backfired in the past. Now, the media does a face-saving of sorts by weaving in another story on how he lives in ‘fear’. Shameful.
Narayan, Zurich I love how pseudo-seculars like Arati Jerath (Binocular Disorder, Dec 24) are freaked at Modi’s victory and the prospect of his moving to the national stage.
Uday Sharma, Bangalore The malaise afflicting Gujarat runs deep; the 2002 anti-Muslim riots were only one horrendous expression. I wonder why the nation is silent at the ghettoisation of Muslims, seen in its worse form in localities like Ahmedabad’s Juhapura and other places in Gujarat.
Vispi Kaikobad, Mumbai
Narendra Modi’s win is a slap in Outlook’s face for trying to portray that the people of Gujarat don’t want him (The Masque of Augurs, Dec 31).
Nitin Yadwad, on e-mail
I suggest that the BJP make Modi the party president, replacing Gadkari. Then, it should announce any other leader’s name—it could be L.K. Advani—as the prime ministerial candidate. Modi will bring organisational vitality to the party and may well enjoy the role of master puppeteer.
Suresh Sonpar, on e-mail
Nobody’s as obsessed with Modi as you are. You’ve written a Modi purana seven times the Mahabharata’s length.
Rakhal, Philadelphia, US
When it comes to the Congress, Outlook sounds increasingly like the North Korean state media on the Kims.
Mehul Kamdar, Appleton, US
Why the hype and hullabaloo over Modi’s alleged prime ministerial ambitions? After all, every Ranji player dreams of being on the Indian team one day. Some even dream of becoming its captain.
Rajneesh Batra, Delhi
'Indian middle class aspirations are different from Gujarat middle class'
Writer is correct. Indian middle class want to get out of their state and want to move to Guarat because of the great work done by Modi and middle class of Gujarat want to stay in
their own state for the same reason.
For NaMo's victory in Gujarat to translate into him having a fair shot at PM's job in 2014, it is necessary that BJP integrate itself into a revitalisd, united NDA once again. That's not possible so long as BJP remains a pariah party both for Muslim voters in general and secular leaders like Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav and Mulayam Singh in particular. One hopes therefore that in the larger national interest, takinig a giant leap of faith, BJP will express sincere regrets for Babri masjid attack and post-Godhra riots, thereby closing for ever these tragic chapters of our recent history. But will BJP leadership do this?
The idea of NaMo as PM is something that can demolish every bad precedence & a Populist electoral system created over a century that is blocking this Nation from moving forward. This is the real reason of Libtards for stopping him, 2002 is just an alibi.
Having said that, Namo as PM with Fickle minded Dicey allies supporting him doesn't augur well for this enthusiasm.
Libtards want us to believe, 2002 was the only riot ever happend in India, without questions asked. Forget 1984 or 1000s of others since '47, even to this day we see weekly riots & Ethnic Cleansing mini Pogroms in JK, Assam or UP.
On the Contrary, 2002 was the ONLY riot in our history which was completely accounted for & justice provided with un-precedented Convictions. Oh yes, even by Sickular standards usually applied only for 1984, Modi got clean-chit from both SC & 3 successive mandates by People.
Look at the Author name, scroll down very fast to the Comments section. Go straight to Bottom of the page and scroll slowly up to make sure your eyes are not affected by any toxic wastes. As always, Outlook is not responsible if you accidentally had to read any pukeworthy line in this article.
//Indian middle-class aspirations different from that of Gujarati middle class"// This is the hope, socialists cling on to!
//The Gujarat strongman does it thrice in a row.// Anyone else think that sounds like B-Grade Porn!!
The issue has nothing but Modi-purana. Even Vyasa limited Mahabharata to 1 lakh verses. Outlook has written Modi purana that is at least seven times the Mahabharata. Nobody is this obsessed with Modi.
The people of Gujarat have unequivocally left the mantle to Shri.Modi for the third time also as the latter has shone by contrast by all means. It is for the Congress and other political parties who missed to make their presence in the state to introspect.None can deny that the governance impressed the voters which is why the change of guard was not opted. Close on the heels of the elections,the debate triggered over Modiji's prospects for Janpath road, showcases two things. One, Congress is left jittery.Two.the internecine feud within BJP comes to the fore. People's mandate is supreme in any democracy. If they so desire, Modiji is sure to honour the mandate. Are there any qualms over this? But with all these conjuctures, will the smoke of gory carnage of 2002,which made Atalji to atone,which left thousands of innocent lives bear the brunt of communal fury,fade into sky? One will pray Modiji,to atleast accept the muslim head gear which he returned to ulamas at Sadbavana, let alone its not adorning his head.
To the chagrin of Secus writer after writer and columnist after columnist have started recognizing the Modi's success in doing wonders
amended
Lord Meghnad Desai ::
" The Gujarat elections have put one question beyond debate. Narendra Modi is a person who can win elections even when the entire liberal ‘secular’ media and NGOs are against him. His record is examined with a forensic attention which no other chief minister is subjected to. This time even the Hindu fundamentalists were against him. The VHP, combined with Keshubhai and the RSS, was believed to be disenchanted.
From now till May 2014, there will only be one topic of political conversation—Narendra Modi as a likely PM
Modi against Rahul is no contest; Modi against Sonia Gandhi may be the only choice open to the Congress.''
www.indianexpress.com/news/what-now-/1048998/0
It is for the Outlook to stick around Sabha and many Modi hate writers or discard the discarded ones in 2012 .History has proved wrong and irrlevent them .
It is up to Vinod Mehta if he wants to take Outlook on the same mode to oblivion and to its ultimate doom .That will be very very sad day all of us -the haters and simultaneously the commenders of Vinod Mehta
Bhanu Partap Mehta said :
" Modi’s prospects now depend on how much more our politics hurtles towards bankruptcy. One reflection of this bankruptcy is that attacks on him have a self-incriminating quality. Think of the charges. Modi has a cult of personality. In most political parties except for the Left, the individual leader looms larger than the party. Modi is a propagandist, a master of hype. True enough. But is this charge credible when, for decades, one family has used state power at the national level to stamp its name on every scheme, every space it can find? Modi’s development achievements are exaggerated. Of course, Gujarat’s development record is not what Modi claims it is. But the attribution of causality in development is always complex. If the Central government had been subject to the kind of scrutiny Gujarat has been subject to, our economic history would have been entirely different. It is an achievement that at least he shifted the debate to every tortured statistic one could find. He has no commitment to free expression. But how many others would pass the test of liberalism? Gujarat is an environmental disaster, we declaim. Compared to which other state?
But Gujarat has, at least, been subject to serious court scrutiny, direct SIT investigations and so on.---You can also look at them and wonder why so many Congress cabinet ministers still have not been made to answer for 1984.
The point is that it is hard to attack evil when we so widely condone it in other contexts.""
www.indianexpress.com/news/a-modified-politics/1048292/0
Bhanu Partap Mehta lambasted Secus for their sense of guilt and cowardice which inhibits them to concentrate on Modi and Modi only while Secus and Muslims ignore 1 Lac plus minorities killed under Secu Rules .
Secus are suffering from extreme mental sickness ,cowardice ,loss of courage and guilty conscience . Now after Gujarat results serious depression has set in too . Symptoms all above need understanding , sympathy and medication .
Unfortunately writer after writer and columnist after columnist have started recognizing the Modi's success in doing wonders in Gujarat and reaping Votes even from the Muslim majority constituencies which shows the way Muslims in Gujarat look upon Modi success in improving the lot of Muslims in Gujarat .
Read what Lord Megnad Desai and Madam Tavleen Singh both were anti Modi in near past .Now they write ;;
" In this column last week, I said that he is the only Indian political leader today with a clear economic vision. It is a vision that glorifies prosperity and not poverty and this has led poverty and this has led some commentators to already start speaking of him as India’s Deng Xiaoping. Deng brought prosperity to China by throwing Chairman Mao’s economic ideas into history’s trash can and if Modi decides to enter national politics, he will need to throw a lot of foolish economic ideas away and especially those that the RSS continues to propagate. But, he will need to do much more. ""
www.indianexpress.com/news/a-new-idea-of-india-/1048996/0
'Modi has a different vision of India’s future and has articulated it whenever he has been given a chance. I heard him speak of it at an India Today conclave two years ago and give you a précis here. He said that if India was to ever find its rightful place in the world then it must first decide where it wanted to go.
I discovered that the two men who we hear will be our main contenders for prime minister in 2014 said very different things. Modi talked of development and progress and the future of Gujarat and his achievements in this regard. Rahul Gandhi dwelled on the past. He said his hero was Mahatma Gandhi and explained why through a family bedtime story. "
www.indianexpress.com/news/what-is-the-gujarat-model-/1045851/0
cntnd
The rise of Modi, within the BJP camp is welcome. The hold of Hindu fanatical, obscurantist, arrogant and supremacist brigade aiming Brahminical raj needs to be weakened and buried. If Narendra Modi succeeds in doing even one bit, it's an achievement worth loud appreciation.
With all the focus on Modi, thre writer has successfully taken the attention away from a failed Yuvraj and crumbling dynasty
we have an old person representing the establishment, surrounded by paid lackeys , in there for personal benefit on one side and a young challenger whom the establishment tries to kill off ( atleast politically with paid media smut ) who is seen by most as the only challenger destined to and capable of defeating "you-know-who" inspite of the power "you-know-who" wields that was accumulated over a long time on the other ..
Who is the Voldermort here ..
The Gujarat win of Mr. Modi was just a mere formality, before he takes over as the next prime minister of India in 2014. We should also thank Mr. Modi for conceding few seats to the Opposition parties in the overall interest of democracy.
The last decade has seen India spiralling down in all factors related to economy and governance so much that western media has stopped even to compare India and China. From the culture of indecision, indiscipline and misgovernance that has characterized India in the last 10 years, Mr. Modi will bring in freshly needed leadership, decisiveness and vision to lead India. The opposition to Mr. Modi is by those people who fear his honesty and a no-nonsense approach.
Since the culture of self-discipline is by and large absent in India, an authoritarian streak in a honest and a non-corrupt leader is best for the country. Hence Mr. Modi is the best that could happen to India in 2014.
Naqvi sound high caste muslim to me. Which brings me to something I continue to be amazed by, How come OutlookIndia employs so many high caste hindus and muslims?
There is a lot of heartburn in opinioned English (Delhi centered) press and its columnists! These guys think that all that counts is their opinion as had been for long. For rest of us, who disagree are discarded as “Internet Hindus” or “NRIs”--so should be ignored. Internet is crumbling their arrogance. I love it--not for agreeing with me or disagreeing with me, but for bringing the notion that one man or women has just one opinion.
Arun Maheshwari >> Indian elite - in desh or outside - the bane of Mother India since time immemorial (5000+ years and counting).
What exactly is your problem ? Are you looking for an opportunity to harvest in the inter generational transfer of guilt business like many pseudo intellectuals(and part time rabble rouser politicians) in India?
It is a shame that even people like Modi are preferred by Indian citizens, rather than a corrupt and anti-male dynasty, since they dont have a choice. Male Unblocked Chennai, India
Is it not shame on your part when you use word "Male" for representing yourself this itslef shows you are unfair, so who will give importance to your words? And you are here lecturing us on Modi and Secularism...Please come clean from your biased thought process of Male, Female and then come on blogs....
Prashant of Melboune .... and of course you seek all this for Mother India,
Not for Mother India,but Prashat is writing all this for Maa Bharathi.....Prashant you too like us has got stake in this country to speak and write what this country needs.
See in his own Bangalore name of areas, like Whitefield, Brookfiled and Richmond this are all CTRL C and CTRL V of American localities...
Hope he is not running for P. M. He is as much a leader in Gujarat, as he is misunderstood in New Delhi and Bihar, and he cannot understand, why the Narendra Modi of Bihar, has differences with him.
Narendra Modi till now is not saying that he is aspiring for PM Post.. It is the various surveys in which the Chocie of many is Narendra Modi.Narendra Modi has not addressed a meeting in HP as the PM Candidate.He has.come andf addressed one meeting . HImachal Pradesh is not giving any Govewrnment a second chance.Yet BJP got 26 Seats and Congress got 36 Seats. It is a working majority for Congress.But on ething . Narendra Modi may may not become the PM.. But this itself is amoral victory for him.. it is the Destiny that decided the Next PM.not the Media. That too the English Media which has a limited readership or Viewership. The Country ha ssuffered with a weak PM who failed to assert himself.. The Country can not affored an Ignorant PM next time.. The next PM will be any one other than Rahul Gandhi whom the English Media comrades are sky-lifting.
To MIchel Lopes,
Nothing wrong in Narendra Modi raising above the Castes in Hindu Society.Why the People of other religions worry about this?
>>Division of anti-BJP votes, with Keshubhai Patel’s GPP entering the fray
No. No No. you are wrong.
It is a consolidation of votes on communal lines/polarisation which is yeilding rich divideds election after election for bjp. Another case in point is karnataka.
You did it again girl :D
Lets pick-up few things here:
"... ‘Dark Lord’ in the Harry Potter ..." You got the idea, Narendra "the dark lord" Modi. Interestingly the ‘Dark Lord’ in the Harry Potter is not someone elected by people, again and again. But hey, who care whatever people vote for?
"An OBC leader in a Sangh brotherhood dominated by Brahmins and upper castes" hmmm ... the brotherhood, not family. Every dirty trick in secular kitty is out. First thing, OBC is upper-caste (Jati). Only SC are lower-caste (Jati). For heaven's sake Shri Krishn is a Yadav. Next line follows: "L.K. Advani said to be still eyeing the top spot should it be available in 2014" But hey, he is not Brahmin either. Argument diminished?
OK, lets put it this way, an article written by a Syed (Jati), in a magazine, full-of and edited by a Brahmin (Jati). Too much of moral high ground I see here? To put it in prospective, Brahmin has been bad guys all along the history; but they didn't touch Army and Business. Some say, for equal distribution of power. Syed or Sayyid (Naqvi are Syed) on other hand, are Brahmin-Kchatriya-Vaisya put together.
Can I say it this way; whole Hindu and Muslim upper-caste gang in Outlook is behind the blood of a poor OBC man; who, by his hard work, achieved something for himself and his state? I wouldn't be too wrong. But hey, I am not a pseudo; so, thanks, but no thanks.
... a creature of 3-D technology ... and He is the pracharak (an RSS wholetimer) You make your mind, what is he? You can very well disagree with the whole ideology, that is just fine. But a pracharak is someone who dwell from village to village, town to town. A ground worker. See, this is the problem with arm-chair type. This is the guilt spilling out. Don't feel guilty dear, he is not using the technology, rather he is bringing technology to masses. Savour (as VM might say), broadband is widespread in his state.
Those who support Project Modi also say he is the only one who can “fix” the RSS, cut it down to size, stop its meddling and backseat driving. Confusion, confusion and more confusion. Pseudos failed to make it clear so far if RSS likes him or not? I have no idea, how these two work, with or against, each-other. But if I will have to imagine, then there is a clear difference in very idea of both organizations. RSS is someone, I guess, is more interested in long term change on social level. BJP is a political outfit. they need to go win-lose every 5 years. There are going to be differences.
For the reality today is that the US may not grant Modi a visa, but a section of India seems anxious to discuss the possibility of his becoming prime minister, or at least a hopeful in the primaries. and I failed to find the connection.
sorry it is saba not samba (typo error)
That obituary is simple and short. Please do read it.
Samba
please also read my obituary to Kishwar's superb article.
Regards
Had godhra not happened, bjp and modi would not have been in the limelight or for that matter bjp would have been wiped out from the scene. Due to communal polarisation (gujarat is a hindutvavadi lab) modi became hero. whenever communcal riots happned the party which benefited the most is bjp. Modi has been winning it only because the polarisation is complete in gujarat. It is no big deal for hindutvavidi forces to keep on winning in gujarat.
Prashant of Melboune .... and of course you seek all this for Mother India while safely coconned in the rarified environs of a developed, mature, rule of law democracy in Australia (where the most you might have to face is some Australian rudeness - they call being direct mate) where of course there is no need for "visionary power coupled with ruthlessness" as you would want for us desis in desh.
All this angst for a once in a few year trip where you have to deal with slums as you land and then drive to your family "castle" with "children of a lesser god" rubbing their dirty bodies against that first world car as they beg. Interesting to say the least.
Indian elite - in desh or outside - the bane of Mother India since time immemorial (5000+ years and counting).
Reportedly the RSS and few top leaders of the BJP have been obstructing the Narendra Modi's further movement to Delhi which eventually may prove detrimental to the party's electoral prospects in 2014. It's undeniable for now that Narendra Modi has emerged as a hot favourite among the urban/semi-urban class and youths around the nation. Hence the BJP needs to elevate him as the party president whereby he can mobilise support not only among the masses but may further revive the ties from old allies such as BJD, AIADMK etc after expectedly losing JD(U). The alienation of minority community should not worry the BJP since they have hardly been supporting it even otherwise. The party does need a dynamic and convincing party-head who can effectively re-structure and rejuvenate it and Narendra Modi undoubtedly fits in the slot.
>> Division of anti-BJP votes, with Keshubhai Patel’s GPP entering the fray
Huh ? Did Keshubhai break from Congress ?
None of the writers in this issue on Modi victory want to highlight the disgraceful defeat of the Italian woman and her imbecile son.Sonia and Rahul's imperial statements that they sent crores of rupees from Delhi is the only difference from that shameful 'Mauth ka Saudagar' speeches of 2007.It is hightime that the mother and son are packed off to Italy,where they can luxuriously live out of the Nadir Shah type loot from our country.The unemployed gang of 'zero loss' Sibal;'Congress is the clear winner In Gujarat' Chidambaram,the man with that ugly mouth,Manish Tiwari should be put to till the land ,the wat Pol Pot did in Cambodia.
Saba
Read Madhu Kishwar's article. Not because I expect it to change your openion on Modi, but because she's made a mince-meat of 'journalists' like you in it.
Given the state of the Congress today, almost anybody is preferable to them. Modi, with his charisma and pro-development stance, was an obvious choice for the electorate.
So are the internet Hindus saying that all other states must repeat Gujarat 2002, for better governance there?
It is a shame that even people like Modi are preferred by Indian citizens, rather than a corrupt and anti-male dynasty, since they dont have a choice.
11-D/111 D L NARAYAN ///No Indian politician has ever faced such a vicious and sustained media campaign against him and has yet triumphed. ///
not only that- no politician has courage and power (popularity) to speak to 'self proclaimed mighty media's false propagandists'- 'KUCHH TO SHARM KARO' (have some SHAME) in front of a vast gathering and makes them telecast his speech without BREAK.
The secular mafia is spell bound, analysing time and again - how BJP won in muslim majority seats despite no Gujrati muslim had courage to accept BJP ticket ( in fact one had accepted but later was forced to retreat, Hindustan times report) and face fanatic muslims of other states (few in quantity, majarity still does not oppose him). Here 'no muslim candidate propaganda of media' has failed.
Bajpei gov lost 2004 election because he forgot "sarwadharm samabhaaw' and played in to the hands of pseudo secular such he lost his big share of of conventional votes. Modi should not repeat this mistake if he wishes to get elected time and again in the center. BTW He knows that these left class secular ( not muslims) will never vote for him whatever he does. In near future we may find these left class secular singing ' Modi Saga' to try to make him another Bajpeiji debacle and abuse RSS/VHP simulteneously.
Ah! Where are the bullet points on What will work for Modi in Delhi?
Looks like this is something the author even fears to imagine.
Nevertheless Nitish, Modi and other successful politicians are more clever than these half baked journos. A few field trips with cameras will never make them understand the reality to make any meaningful argument through such articles. I guess most of the journalists understand that and hence just write stories for whoever that pays them good.
The author says "his ambitions propel him forward, he will force us to question assumptions about India. He has already challenged many earlier ones, broken many rules, smashed all opposition in his path, and prevailed." But These are the characteristics of true mass leader.! Sadly we have very very few mass leaders . Most are the manioulators. Let us wish Modi succeeds and takes India in new a direction of developement and strenght.
Gujarat is going to be another west bangal. Wht happened after decades of communist rule There? Now its a ruined state. The only solace is Modi shows courage to reinvent himself by keeping distance with the sangh parivaar.
"Indian middle-class aspirations different from that of Gujarati middle class"
How are the two different"
This is standard tone of all the anti-Modi drivels in media since his Gujrat win. Don't ask any questions why they are different ? This is what they hope for. They are just reporting it as reality. There is nothing logical about it.
By contrast, her "what might not work in Delhi" is reasonable, except for the following stupidity
Indian middle-class aspirations different from that of Gujarati middle class
How are the two different? In fact, I would argue that aspirations for most sections are the same. We all want good quality roads, electricity, water, education, health at a reasonable price, and zero or low corruption. Will Saba care to elaborate?
>> 25 lakh first-time voters born after 1991 who have never seen Congress rule
How is that helpful to Modi? Unless these first time voters felt that BJP/Modi rule was good for them.
>> Creation of 22 urban, semi-urban clusters due to delimitation of constituencies
Given that total number of seats remained the same, if some constituencies became urban/semi-urban, some must have become rural (or the state has overall become significantly more urban).
If the former, why was it an advantage. If the latter, it should be welcome, since it indicates a reduced dependence on agriculture in a water starved state.
>> Record turnouts in both phases of elections snuffing out losses in rural areas
Again. How is it an advantage? Isn't high turnout usually associated with anti incumbency?
>> Relentless online, offline and on-air projection of “development agenda”
Good. So he won on the development agenda. This should be celebrated.
>> Strong support from business houses who are invested in the idea of Gujarat
Again good.
>> Growing backing of Muslims for BJP, even in psychologically important Godhra
I'm sure that is like an ulcer to the sickos.
>> Congress reluctance to tackle ghosts of 2002, firing from shoulders of activists
I thought that that was supposed to be a smart strategy.
Of course, when BJP talks development, they are accused of having used and abandoned Lord Ram. When Congress does the same, it's smart strategy, till it stops working.
Stupid. Is there any evidence that GPP split anti-BJP vote? Popular perception was that he shall split BJP vote.
> "Modi’s assiduously built the cult of personality, cleverly juxtaposing Gujarat’s development with his own achievements. He worked on the concept of regional pride."
These are serious issues and can be disastrous in the leader of a major world power. Just look at the parallels elsewhere.
"It was a battle where the Congress tactically chose to be low-key and where its leaders chose not to utter his name"
Yes, the tactic of calling him a "Maut ke Saudagar" had backfired badly on them. Once bitten, twice shy, I suppose.
"No Indian leader has faced the kind of censure Modi has in Europe and the West, and still built an international image as the great wealth generator of India. No chief minister has been so regularly snubbed by regional leaders, still continues to gain prominence as a national figure."
No Indian politician has ever faced such a vicious and sustained media campaign against him and has yet triumphed. This proves that the allegations that he has orchestrated a "pogrom" does not cut ice with the voters. Nobody disputes that a terrible pogrom took place but it is totally unfair to blame Modi for it. I think that he did his best to contain the rage that a sizable percentage of people felt after the incident at Godhra.
The victory highlights the fact that the average Indian is fed up with malgovernance, with kleptocracy, with the status quo and wants a leader who means business, who will give them concrete progress and not empty slogans.
They are fed-up with both the sycophantic and totally corrupt Congress and the nincompoops in the BJP who have spectacularly failed in their role of providing a constructive political opposition. The only hope for the nation is Narendra Modi, the elusive Sardar Patel the people of India have been looking for ever since they realised that Nehru was incapable of delivering the goods. The self-seeking Gadkaris of the BJP can only ignore him or manipulate the likes of Nitish Kumar, who has his own political compulsions for opposing Modi, at their own peril. At the moment, the Modi juggernaut appears to be inexorable and invincible.
Wow! What an unbiased analysis from a sycophant who used this very magazine to urge Rahul Gandhi to take the reins of the Congress Party and lead it to heights of glory! Like Modi or not, he won resoundingly in the elections. Saba Naqvi's object of adoration came a cropper just like he did in earlier state campaigns. When it comes to the Congress, Outlook does sound increasingly like North Korean state media talking about the Kims. Of course, since you don't have a humor section, this provides more than a little unintentional mirth. Maybe you just ought to keep at it and let Saba Naqvi continue her obsessive-compulsive routine.
You guys are obsessed with Modi. Outlook is getting boring.
Saba it sour grapes for fundamentalist secularists like you! Let’s get few facts correct…………….as much as 22 seats BJP lost narrowly to Congress with less than 2400 votes, one seat each to NCP, GJP . In fact ,large number of seats were lost with less than 3 digits. despite anti incumbency someone making it third time and at least 25 seats lost narrowly speaks of the peoples support! Let half-baked Gnan on what actually Modi is for his people be stopped and few lessons on modesty be learnt, it will help real Sadhbhav! With Best Regards,
As expected Saba's commentary is biased against Modi. We can ignore her, What India need is a strong, fearless leader with an attitude. A man who has the vision and a ruthless drive to implement that vision. Look at our nation- What has our nation come to?? The moment aircraft lands in our metro cities what we see is endless shanty towns and slums, the moment we step outside the airport reality hits us. Poverty, hostile-possibly criminal- taxi drivers, nobody follows any traffic rules, filth and garbage all over the road, vast majority of people around are poor who doesn’t even own a bicycle (and possibly malnourished too). Police & court system is totally archaic and has not changed since British set them up in 1800s. Rapists and criminals roams the streets and our government is only worried about how to bribe poor voters with more dole next election. Ministers and MPs make BILLIONs selling national assets- few percentage of that wealth is used to bribe hapless voters!!! Terrorist blowing our citizens every few months, then these same terrorists are portrayed as innocent by ’liberal’ media and NGOs. Armature Policemen unable to punish terrorists due to lack of training…..
We are a joke, as a nation we failed, as a society we failed…….. Look around us, forget western nations, go to Malaysia, go to Thailand, go to Turkey, look around, do you see the filth and trash? Do you get that stink ?? Nop….. do you see desperately malnourished kids knocking on your car window on traffic signals, nop…..why? Because these countries were ruled by strong, practical, nationalist leaders who had the Power AND ruthlessness to implement their vision. All our top leaders in India for the last 3 decades were weak people with no stomach to implement their ideas. Manmohan Singh!!!!, Vajpai, Narasimha Rao, Dev Gowda!!!, IK Gujral, Rajiv Gandhi…… a long list of weak leaders under whose leadership India has deteriorated socially, physically and mentally.
What India need at this time of history is a strong willed leader with modern ideas- and that man is Narendra Modi. There is no alternative, Narendra Modi alone can pull India out of this deep garbage pile that we live in currently……. He alone has the will power and ‘arrogance’ to kick the lazy Indian back to work…… ….Namo namo……
Mrs. Gandhi won the 1980 election on a simple note, Elect a government that works. Narendra Modi seems to have done the same in 2012.
“Why so much Hype & Hullabaloo about Modi’s ambition for the TOP JOB? Every player starts from Ranji & IPL but his Final Destination always remains ‘Representing INDIA’.”
Great Choice by OUTLOOK. SABA NAQVI being made to write an article on Mr MODI. Did not read it as the content is all too evident. ---------------------------------- Indian CITIZENS even after 65 years of independence compete for backwardness and the highest aspiration of Indian in India is to be the "MOST BACKWARD MINORITY". Congress, SP, BSP, JD, TMC etc thrive on politics of “minoritism, poverty & backwardness and has a vested interest in keeping Indian poor and compartmentalised along RELIGIOUS & CASTE lines to win elections. But THERE IS NOTHING GLORIOUS TO BE POOR, BACKWARD or MINORITY. Mr Modi as PM will eliminate poverty, backwardness & minoritism. His efficiency, incorruptible character & no nonsense reputation is feared by all including BJP & RSS.
Sampling this author's present piece :
1) Lord Voldemort is the ‘Dark Lord’ in the Harry Potter series, a wizard of astounding powers, referred to as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He sets out to conquer both magical and real worlds, and it is his personality and ambition that are pivots for the drama in the seven books that had an entire generation riveted. Potter and his friends, teachers and helpers are relatively ordinary folk reacting to events unleashed by the Great Wizard.
Clear example of biased commntary
2)An OBC leader in a Sangh brotherhood dominated by Brahmins and upper castes
Casteist comment. Pre-conceived notions. Has she been a part of the organization or has she been a close confidant of the leaders of the organisation.
Mr.Editor, how can you allow a person with a clear bias against her subject, who attributes pre-conceived notions (literally guesswork) to her conclusions in the article to write an analytical piece. Truly journalism @ its ebb.
More modest than he'd have liked? It is more like more modest than you'd have liked. What passes off as a article sounds like the jealous whine of a loser.
With only demonish, divisive, 'alternatives' like Modi, to the corrupt, casteist, inefficient and anti-male Congress rule, assures one certainity about Indian democracy :
This country is DOOMED.
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