If Modi wins on Sunday

: On the eve of the 2002 Gujarat elections, I had stuck my neck out to predict, somewhat audaciously, that if Modi wins, it would alter the character of national politics and that the next general election could be a Sonia versus Modi contest. There were some curious murmurs and questions from the usual suspects of the Congress that Saturday morning. But, surprise of surprises, the only protest came from Pramod Mahajan.

He called early that morning and, for once, was not his usual sugar-coated self. “What’s this, boss, what kind of nonsense are you writing?” he said. Why should it have upset Pramod if I was predicting his party’s victory in Gujarat? That foxed me at that moment and, in any case, six thirty in the morning is not exactly when I am at my brightest. Pramod apologised for calling early and we agreed to meet for lunch that afternoon.

Frankly, I had banked that lunch away for my memoirs, not so much for what we discussed, but because of some interesting sidelights. Like Mahajan asking a startled steward at the Oberoi’s very proper Belvedere for a whole, large onion — “don’t peel it,” he specified. I thought, for a moment, that Mahajan, always a great showman, wanted to use the onion to make a political point about the BJP. He, instead, plonked it on the table, crushed it under his ample palm and plucked out the flesh for himself and me to munch with our lunch. Even in a seven-star environment, the BJP’s most flamboyant star wanted to be his rustic self.

Then he came to the point. “What do you mean by saying Sonia versus Modi in the next general elections? Have we all disappeared? Do we all wear bangles? You think we have spent decades in politics to now hand it all over to somebody who walks in through the backdoor?”

I tell this story because, while the advanced 2004 poll distorted the emerging political scenario then, it is incredible how it is promising to play out exactly the same way now. If Modi wins on Sunday, the stage will be set for an ultimate Modi versus Sonia battle for national power, even if Advani continues to be the BJP’s shadow prime minister. Modi will then be the key campaigner, his kind of politics, his style of campaigning, his lexicon of cryptographic saffronism and even his short-sleeved kurtas will then define...

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Congress' Angoota-Chaap by Venkat on 2007-12-23 02:24:30.093194+05:30
It doesnt require a BJP man to say "what nonsense you are writing", its a common man's anguish that Ind Express, once famed by Goenka for talking against the Congress, now has become a "angoota-chaap" of Congress....

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MODI IS HEADING FOR A COMFORTABLE MAJORITY. SO HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME by DILIP/FRANCE on 2007-12-22 16:33:15.668279+05:30
Modi bashing is muddleheaded and dangerous. You will achive preceious little by cheap personal attacks, based on subjectivity,persoanl biasness and prejudices. What you failed quite deliberately, to elucidate, in your analysis, the quantum dvelopments,both socially and economically,Modi has achieveed. When Modi took the reigns, Gujarat's economic growth eas averaging about 4.3% and this year the growth will be massive 12.7% with record revenue collection.These are the positives coming out of the state, not the negative nonsence that you dwell on. There is life, aside communalism, that is Economic and Technological development, which Modi has sown and garnered,surmounting heavy odds and vested interest. I am amazed how the English Media Is parnaoid with partail negativity, at the alter of objectivity, imapriality and independent journalism. Slowly you are reducing your standard and quality to gutter journalism. Paradigam shifts are taking place and the Indian political landscape with shift with it.Slowly slowly Modi's Model will be replicated all over India, as this model has now been tried and tested, bears credibility.Anyway,to disappoont you,our grass root polls tels us that the election is a foregone conclusion, bar the shoutig,Modi will be back with comfortable MAJORITY.Shame the pseudo secularist and the twisted English Media, despite brazen lies,deceits and obfuscation,could not stop Modi.THE MESSANIC KING.

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