By S. Sivathasan –

S. Sivathasan

Mahatma Gandhi cited in a single cryptic sentence his reason for selecting Nehru as India’s first Prime Minister – “India is safe in Nehru’s hands”. Today India in her millions have echoed in chorus, “India is safe in Modi’s hands”. This affirmation comes after trial and test for a full five-year term. A billion Indians had a million reasons for deciding so.

I wrote five articles on Modi’s electoral prospects, from 7 October 2018; the last being on 19 May 2019, two days ahead of exit polls results. In my articles 1 – 4, I maintained with assurance and certainty that Modi and BJP will have 300 + seats. I give below some of my predictions made in my articles up to May 19, 2019 and the actuals after the elections.

How did such forecasts become possible? Having followed India’s progress, multi-sector growth, all too visible developments and owing them very much to the Modi regime, the polity had decided well ahead whom to attribute the success to. A repeat of the same became the urge and mission of the voter. To those who surveyed happenings in India, every ripple was observable. Predictions became easy.

Making them better understood, were eloquent expositions by Modi and his Ministers in Parliament. The countrywide speeches made by the leadership carried the masses sky high. Modi himself flew 100,000 miles to address the masses at 160 mammoth meetings. In contrast to these persuasive speeches was the puerile prattle from the Congress leader. Little wonder he lost even the family pocket borough – Amethi in UP — to Smriti Irani whose victory was certain from the day Rahul announced his shift to Vayanadu

To this writer what moved mountains in the voting pattern in favour of BJP was the sustained performance of the regime in five years, presented in a masterly fashion by Modi. Above all, the charisma he exuded gripped his audiences like a narcotic. He took the masses as intelligent human beings who could understand all the statistics that he splashed across. From the very outset, when he entered national politics six years ago, he got the trusted support of his lieutenants and carried the masses with him.

His reading and absorption of Swami Vivekananda he used with deadly effect. To him food to the starving, poverty alleviation of the neglected farmer, satisfying the material side of life before reaching for the less intelligible spiritual, were all relevant and important. Sages mortified the flesh. Vivekananda and Modi understood perfectly Ramakrishna when he said “To the starving man God appears in the form of bread”. This perception underlay the payment of a token Rs. 6,000/= per annum per farmer family. Doubling of farmer income by 2022, the 75^th year of independence is the solid pledge for the immediate future. Rahul promised 12 times more immediately after victory! Who believed it?

Seat share that the polity gave, displayed trust reposed in Modi and disbelief of Rahul. Sathyam Eva Jayathe – Truth Alone Triumphs – is inscribed in bold relief in Lok Sabha. “Na Anarithum”- never untruth- was not ever inscribed in Rahul’s mind. It was best exemplified in his refusal to acknowledge his untruth over Rafael Deal even after Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Defence ripped and demolished him five times in parliament and out.

The dust has settled over the hustings. What hovers yet more is the euphoria about the victory. It has won the encomia of the world and brought genuine – not formal – accolades from world leaders. India’s reactions were different. After voting in phase III when 302 or 59% of the electorates had voted, it became clear that BJP was winning. After phase IV on April 29 and 69%, the leadership was reassured of a great victory. 

Not wishing to waste even a day from then, Modi ordered a macro plan be outlined for the first 100 days rolling into 2022 (75^th year of independence), 2030, 2040 and even 2050. The 22 oppositionist formations showing their hideous front and divided back, scampered for their own safe haven and stridently reassured themselves and the voters of a great victory. Six Prime Ministerial aspirants had already become PMs and remained rivals till 23, May 2019. However strident their cry, the country thought otherwise. Modi is now set on his next five-year term with a third term to follow.

The country now awaits the Policy Pronouncement. A lukewarm media that did its very worst to keep Modi out, is no match for the People’s mandate. It is up to the polity to rally round with hoops of steel more and more.