While they have to ridicule them in public, in private even Congress leaders admit that Modi has run a pretty efficient government, and that his claims on bijli, sadak, paani, the three key elements that weigh on the modern voter’s mind, are largely true. Why has he still got himself into a bit of a mess where what had looked like a done deal a month back has become a contest too close to call? How has he blown so much of an advantage, such a huge head start? That was the question assailing our minds as we, the usual group of Limousine Liberals, a motley assortment of journalists, psephologists, bankers and corporate leaders that trawls voting zones on key elections, spent an extended weekend searching for the answers in Gujarat’s countryside.

His appeal is undiminished — but only to the faithful. At some point, it is obvious, he got so carried way with it, he forgot some basic principles of Indian politics. One, the voters expect their leader to approach them with humility. They do not appreciate someone starting by proclaiming that the election is already in his pocket. No voter likes to be told his vote is a mere formality. What he wants to hear is, please come out on polling day and vote for me, my life depends on that one act of your generosity. What he is hearing from Modi, on the other hand, is something like: if you are grateful for all I have done for you — as you better be — you better come out and vote for me because you need me in the next term too. It works with the absolutely faithful. But often, in a polarised voter population, that is not enough. You still need that few per cent more. You want some of the fence-sitters to swing your way. But that is not Modi’s way. “Are you Hindu? Can Hindus be terrorists as the Congress says?” he asks his cheering audiences. Not for him the pretence, or at least the hypocrisy, of even appealing to the minorities, of even suggesting any non-Hindus could be among his crowds, his likely voters. This kind of exclusivist politics has its limitations, particularly when you seek your third term and more so when you have already encashed the anti-Muslim (anti-Mian Musharraf and all and thereby the insinuation of Indian Muslims being pro-Pakistan) once. One thing you do not expect to hear from Modi on the election trail is that he wants all 5.5 crore Gujaratis (including the minorities) to vote for him. He would also do nothing to reach out to them, to heal, to patch up, to win them back. No such ‘hypocrisy’ for him and, as he would tell you with a candour you wouldn’t get even from any RSS sarsanghchaalak, he will never do anything towards the Muslims even by way of affirmative action that sounds like ‘appeasement’.

... contd.