Sunday Sentiment MODI HAS ARRIVED

Sunday Sentiment

MODI HAS ARRIVED

As the last two phases of polling on May 7 and 12 slowly inch towards a grand finale, the final picture, for sure, shall be know only on the afternoon of May 16. But the trends of reporting in the media have started trickling in of the mood of the electorate indicating that the BJP-led NDA is marching forward to dethrone the much disgraced Congress—led UPA government of Dr. Manmohan Singh where nothing moved without a nod from the Congress supremo Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and her son Vice-President Rahul Gandhi catapulted to the forefront for the last over one year with a definite plan to project him as the prime ministerial candidate.

There was, no doubt, something which has remained so far undisclosed what made Mrs. Sonia Gandhi surprise every Congressman by hurling the bombshell of ‘sacrifice’ after she returned from meeting the then President of India, Dr. APJ Kalam, where she had gone to seek an invitation to form a government with a claim for majority support to give a stable government. Whatever perceptible or not, the fact remains that the game was well-played. If she had not made the supreme “sacrifice” she would have then just remained a Prime Minister, but the ‘sacrifice’ gave her laddoos  in her hands. She virtually became a super Prime Minister. While her protégée Dr. Manmohan Singh had the post of Prime Minister, he had not the power; Mrs. Gandhi held no office but had full power and control. As a result she grabbed all the bouquets for anything and everything done by Manmohan government, she pushed every brickbat for failure towards Manmohan Singh. As Chairman of the extra-constitutional authority of National Advisory Council (NAC) she was the fountainhead of most of the policy decisions of the government and drafted enactments just to be presented to Parliament for approval. The Council of Ministers had just been reduced to the position of an implementing authority which owed an explanation to her for daring to delay implementation or defy her. Later, the Prime Minister had to look for a yes not just Mrs. Gandhi but from Rahul Gandhi too. He was instrumental in making UPA government to stage a smart about-turn on a policy on which it and Congress felt proud of.  In sum, it derailed the authority of the Prime Minister.

From all indications  an NDA government under Mr. Narendra Modi as Prime Minister is more than certain. Media reports suggest that BJP may make its presence felt even in States, like West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra ,where in the past its score had been zero. Media has started asking Mr. Modi what will he do on different matters and issues, as if he has already arrived on the scene. This has rattled the confidence of the Congress leaders. That explains their irrational, immature and irresponsible diatribes against Mr. Modi and BJP. Same is true of the other UPA partners and supporters from within or outside. Frustration is writ large on their faces and tongue. According to media reports, the satta bazaar has stopped betting and trading on the possibility of Mr. Rahul emerging as prime minister.

In a way the Congress leadership too has started seeing the writing on the wall. Important Congress ministers and functionaries, like Mr. Salman Khurshid and Ahmed Patel, have started dwelling on the post-result political scenario. One has claimed that Congress will form a government with the support of the ‘secular’ front, the other has spoken of helping it form a government to keep Mr. Modi out.  But that may be, on the one hand, a ruse not to let the morale of workers and leaders down for the remaining phases of polling and, one the other, can just be called as the last straw for a drowning party.

By all counts, the media, the opinion polls and the general perception among the masses is that BJP is sure to emerge as the single largest party and NDA the single largest pre-poll alliance. Its tally is likely to be near about the magic figure of 272 if not a clear majority and further support will swell voluntarily as the results start trickling down. If Congress is banking on any helping hand from its former “trouble-shooter” and now President, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, it is hoping against hope. The President is not likely to do anything that goes against the precedents and the spirit of the Constitution.
Another indication is the fact that Congress wanted to nominate a judge for the so-called Snoopgate investigation before May 16, the day when results were to be out. That it wanted to haste appointing a judge in implementation of cabinet decision taken in December last shows that it had no hope of returning to power. All it wanted was to embarrass the new government. If it had the slightest hope, it would not have decided to go ahead with appointing a judge. The Congress could very well do this after being returned to power again. But it had read the writing on the wall. It is good that, in the end, good sense prevailed. But the likes of Kapil Sibal and Sushil Kumar Shinde once again left the Congress red-faced. It once again proved that Congress never consulted its allies and was taking such important decisions unilaterally in a fascist manner. 

Therefore, by all means there is nothing to stop Mr. Narendra Modii enter 7 Race Course Road and form an NDA government after a decade.  It will be a new era of hope and happiness for the nation.                                           ***