PM Modi and Amit Shah Run the Show

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah are a team like no other. Both work in close cooperation, have a perfect understanding, and trust of which there is a major deficit usually in politics.

Shah does not move without PM Modi’s concurrence but acts with the authority of an independent leader. The relationship between him and Modi is very much like that of former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee with the former having told this writer once, “every single thing I do Vajpayeeji knows about.” He then delved into his jacket pocket to bring out pieces of scribbled on paper saying “this is to remember to tell him what I plan to do, or just hand it over to him to read so I can get his assent.” Relations between the two were strong, and hence Mishra when he took over as NSA enjoyed tremendous clout and authority from the word go.

In the case of PM Modi and Shah there is a slight difference, in that unlike Mishra who was also an advisor, Shah is more of a listener and a follower. He executes the Prime Ministers will whereas Mishra would often influence Vajpayee’s will. Mishra’s focus was more on the government than the party. Shah’s is almost exclusively the party

The Lok Sabha and now the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana are a clear demonstration of the close understanding the two now at the helm of affairs have. The campaign strategy was carefully calibrated, and strategised for maximum dividend. The number of rallies the PM would address, the constituencies and the precise vote banks he would target, the arguments he would make in his speeches are all worked out in detail as is evident on the ground. Nothing is left to chance as both Shah and the PM are perfectionists who are clear of their target, and then work to achieve it.

The Congress party with its flaky leadership, and lack of cohesion is not a patch on the two leaders running the show in the BJP. Interestingly both Shah and PM Modi select their own favourites from the ground, although here the trust works as this is left largely to the BJP president to work on and take a decision.

The BJP has been reduced to a virtually bystander organisation, with all other leaders quite out of the picture except when asked to campaign or speak by the duo. In these two Assembly elections the PM was not just the star, but also the sole campaigner for the BJP addressing as many as 27 public rallies in Maharashtra. In his interviews Shah has made no secret of his admiration for the PM, maintaining that the vote was for him and not the BJP. In fact, important decisions are taken by both without necessarily consulting the BJP as reflected in Shah’s initial statement in Maharashtra where he said that the BJP would form the government on its own in the state.

This had led to a storm of protest with the Shiv Sena hitting out, and BJP leaders at the centre perplexed about the sudden turn of events. However, all have for some reason decided to keep their counsel with a senior Congress MP saying with some glee the other day, “they are terrified of Shah and dare not speak their mind.” However, Shah stuck to his ground, PM Modi supported him with silence, and after the results came in it became clear that neither were looking to the Shiv Sena for government formation because they had got the NCP in instead. This was not known to most in the BJP, with Sharad Pawar’s support seen as “surprising”.