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     Teluguhero Comedian Username: Teluguhero Post Number: 1206 Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 24.129.108.164 Rating: N/A |
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation /why-2013-will-turn-out-to-be-lucky-for-narendra-modi-in-201 4/articleshow/27099767.cms Why 2013 will turn out to be lucky for Narendra Modi in 2014 NEW DELHI: Victory in three out of four states and a close call in one have strengthened Narendra Modi's hold on BJP and burnished his image as a vote-getter as the campaign for 2014 general elections now moves to top gear. Of the 589 assembly constituencies that went for election, the saffron party won nearly 70%. Party president Rajnath Singh and BJP's winning CMs gave Modi credit for their wins. The complexities of Indian politics would have crossed the BJP PM nominee's mind as his plane touched down in Delhi on a clear Sunday afternoon — in the Capital, a newbie by the name of AAP was spoiling the party. But with three wins and one 'may be', even Modi's critics concede he's the party's big hope for 2014. Sudheendra Kulkarni, known to be a close aide of veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani and an unabashed critic of Modi, told ET: "It is clear that he (Modi) has been able to galvanise the party and given a momentum to the campaign." Not too long ago, Kulkarni had said in an interview to a TV channel that Modi did not deserve to be made the BJP's PM candidate. A closer look at BJP's victories shows how Modi made a difference. Modi's campaign across 16 districts in Rajasthan began barely a month before the state went to polls. In districts where the BJP was weaker, the party either registered a clean sweep or saw a marked rise in wins. For example, Ajmer has a total of 8 seats and it returned three BJP MLAs in 2008. In 2013, BJP won 7 seats. Modi's rally in Ajmer was huge. Senior journalist and political commentator Sanjeev Srivastava, who attended some of Modi's rallies, said, "Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhara Raje would still have won. But their margins wouldn't have been this big had Modi not campaigned for them." BJP spokesperson Smriti J Irani, who works closely with Modi, says the Congress has failed to realise the Modi effect. "The Modi impact was palpable at the rallies where lakhs of people attended," she said. One Congress central minister, who did not want to be named, said, "Certainly there is a Modi factor. In areas where our party and the BJP are in a direct fight, Modi has taken advantage." But AAP's Delhi show is a worry for Modi. Young, middle-class voters preferring a new party can have potentially troubling consequences in some urban constituencies, a BJP leader said, not wishing to be identified. "We have to study this," he said. Modi's day, his aides said, was "routine". He attended functions at homes of an old political associate and an IPS officer. "There was no political talk, though he got messages of the results once in a while. He was confident of victory," a Modi aide said. By 1 pm, Modi had boarded the flight to Delhi with only his personal secretary for company. In Delhi, he attended the party's parliamentary committee meeting but stayed clear of the media, attended a meeting at party president Rajnath Singh's residence and took the evening flight back to Gandhinagar. |
