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NEW DELHI: Even as polling concludes in Haryana and Maharashtra, credit has to be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for staking his reputation on the line and taking direct responsibility for the poll results in both states.
The BJP was not visible, as the Modi juggernaut rolled through the two states without the local, or more specifically, without the so called national leaders in sight. It was Prime Minister Modi all the way as he held mega public rallies across the two states to convince the voters that he would be in charge of their future, and not leave it to the BJP and its local factional and corrupt organisations. This was not said but implied, as the vote was asked for in the name of the Prime Minister in a bid to atone for the BJP state units well known foibles.
PM Modi took over the campaign, and made it clear that he was asking the people directly for their vote.This of course invited some barbs from erstwhile allies and the opposition in Maharashtra who wanted to know why the PM had nothing better to do, and whether he would campaign for the municipal elections as well. But this did not deter the PM who addressed 27 rallies in Maharashtra and nine in Haryana.
In fact on the morning of the polling on Wednesday the PM tweeted, "Urging the people of Haryana & Maharashtra to go out & cast their votes. Youngsters must show the way & ensure record turnout." In the process he made it clear that he was directly linked to these elections, and did not want the voters to cast the ballot on just local issues and small controversies. In other words the absence of a clear cut chief ministerial candidates in both the states was made up by Prime Minister Modi to a point where he completely eclipsed the local leaders of all the other parties. At least in terms of publicity, the rest of course the ballot boxes will reveal.
The BJP marginalised by its own leader put up a brave face. "We have no regrets that state leaders were not the face of the election campaign. Only Narendra Modi has credibility - it was the right strategy," said Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Phadnavis who could be the chief minister if the party wins the state. The party campaign revolved around PM Modi, who was the solo star campaigner.
The mandate thus will be for, or against PM Modi. For instance he has said he expects 165 Assembly seats in Maharashtra where a less than 100 seat score for the party will be immediately interpreted as ‘waning magic’ insofar as he is concerned. The Prime Minister has not hesitated to place his neck on this chopping block, but then this was not as wild a gamble as it seems given the intelligence assessments from the state that give the BJP and its top leader high numbers in both.
