Choosing & Becoming Prime Minister of India

We are finally within the striking range of having a name from BJP for PM Candidate. For majority of the people, it will be Narendra Modi given the open declaration of their choice by majority of the BJP cadres across length & breadth of the country. Not only BJP voters, but also the non-aligned common voters affirm the same in survey after survey carried out by various media houses.

However, belying my prior assessments, National Executive Council meet of BJP on first couple of days of March 2013, indicate that within central leadership of BJP the choice is NOT yet that obvious.

The talks of going for formation of NDA+ in order to be a winning alliance, creates enough doubts in the minds of cadres and shake their confidence levels. At this point of time, what BPP would need is assertive, definitive leadership with crystal clear vision.

At this point this leadership would be provided by Narendra Modi. Not because there is clamor for his name among cadre, but for sheer the determination with which he has dismantled biggest anti-BJP propaganda, political machinery successfully & managed to deliver what’s expected from a good Chief Minister. However, merely banking on swelling BJP cadres’ support would NOT get them the declaration they are looking for from central leadership.

Something more than swelling support from cadres would be required to reach that stage. And, that would be more assertive, visible strides by Modi himself towards the leadership. As they teach Leadership basics traits: “Leadership is never given on platter as a Gift, it is taken”; Narendra Modi has to take final strides to get what is expected of him as leader. Off-course, not through using authority of popularity, but, by building bigger alliance within BJP itself. He will have to build on the support expressed by Yashwant Sinha & other senior leaders and reach out to other influential leaders in every state. The bridges must be build with the second tier leaders of every state, if NOT with BJP CMs directly. Some of the work on this direction seem to be already done, however, that is not yet adequate.

He need more software/literature in social media, print media on following parameters which are dished out everytime in ‘preventing’ him from taking right position:

                a) Being polarizing is NOT negative.

                b) Wanting to be PM & assertive is also Positive and NOT negative.

                c) Being pro-industrialists is also Positive & NOT negative

                d) His story is NOT limited to Good Governance ONLY. It goes way beyond it venturing into socio-religious balance for happy society.

Polarizing Figure:

Polarization of Votes is first and MOST important aspect of Democracy. Hence there is NO need to be defensive on this point. Polarizing voting population on economic choices, social choices, political choices, and in some cases issues bordering on religious choices is Pre-requisite for providing choices to populace for right/preferred selection. Hence, there should NOT be any soft-peddling on this subject by his supporters.

In-fact, I love that he is extremely polarizing on all critical subjects that can make or break any nation with his forward looking progressive Vision laced with excellent track record, including handling post Godhra riots. I don’t see any reason for him to be silent on it too. But, I grant him that he can choose time of his own for this sensitive subject.

While all others provide you “We are all same/similar & hence does NOT matter whom you choose” for future is dangerous for society & nation. We need who can authoritatively & assertively says “here is I am, & totally different than others. And, look at my track record. Make up your minds”!!

There is huge sea of difference between “Polarizing voters” for choices, & “Dividing voters for gains”. Contrasting the two with example of Muslim reservation ploy, or visits to terrorists’ homes of Congress during every election must be highlighted and putting forth idea of policies that work for all sections rather than “talking of one particular section” is the key!

In my opinion he should consider calibrating and engineering this message more effectively and efficiently.

A willing Leader to lead Country:

Another basic of leadership is “a Leader should be willing & must be seen as person with Desire to Lead”. There is NO shying away from expressing that “I can lead the country, and I want to”. In any democracy, the Leader has to be ambitious enough for himself/herself and thereby the Nation. Contradictions do NOT exist at-least in this area.

All attempts post independence have failed, when the leader was seen as “self-less”/ “Ambition-less” & delivered stellar results for society. JP Narayan was key example. Even, recently Anna Hazare too failed miserably. In politics, many non dynasty leaders from Congress can be listed in this category, who lived life on principles of Mahatma Gandhi but failed to provide alternative eco-system of political power beyond Dynasty. Even in Jan Sangh, later BJP there are names, who faded away because they projected themselves as ambitionless Party-Workers. Country/States could have benefitted from their competence had they asserted their existence and leadership.

Time has come for Narendra Modi to openly express assertively within party circles for saying “I want to be PM, because I can deliver and I want to deliver what Party can & yearning to.” There is no harm in competing with positive spirit and demanding what’s right for Nation, society, party, and self.

Pro Industrialist Image:

This tag is a hang-over from draconian Socialist regime that Indira Gandhi enforced on India during Emergency. Country need to shed all the pretentions of being ‘soft-socialist’ regime post 1991.

Today, Pro-Industrialist must be good thing and narrative must be built around this. Setting right environment, which encourages transparent regulations for entrepreneurship, trade and business must be done without feeling apologetic about it.

Current approach of keeping “apologetic face” while doing Profit centric business is Congress style of functioning, which encourages “under the table dealings” & channelize the fruits of industrialization to ‘few key people’ by preventing them trickling them to the bottom of pyramid. Congress calls this approach as “reforms with Human face”! 

I must say, Narendra Modi has done tremendous job on this front, however, setting narrative positively on this area is still work to be done.

Not merely Good Governance:

While good governance is of paramount importance for immediate delivery of goods & services for being in government, a leader must NOT hesitate, limit himself/herself to issues related to good governance ONLY.

While I fully endorse the broad vision laid by Narendra Modi on “Skill, Speed, Scale” for future of India to compete with likes of China & other developed world, he should now make forays into social issues, socio-religious fault-lines impacting/affecting Society/Country.

He represent a particular ideology, he must further spread it through his vision lined up in the light of this ideology. Strong Nationalism riding on culturing moorings of the nation must be elaborated further, defined in emerging social realities. Vision around re-positioning India among comity of nations in the light of BJP’s ideology must be explained/re-described. It is understandable, if new definition need to be kept away from old pompous clichés, but should be made more practical, understandable in present context.

Doing this will make good delivered through the good governance of present set of government would be stable beyond generations of future governments. Legacy of right type would be eventually prepared preventing existing success as one-off success wonder.