Modi Still a Man of India’s Hopes

Not An Aggregation of Local Elections

General Elections used to be an aggregation of many local elections. Fought on thousands of local, a few national issues and many personalities. Dominate by local leaders and groups. The result was almost always a reflection of the collective confusion. Not so anymore. 

For a vast majority of people still dependent on the state, Modi has come to symbolise a state that works. That is a big big change from the past.

It still is a 'Mai Baap Sarkar' but one that delivers or at least delivers better for many many people now. 

This election is about Modi. About what he has done, not done, will do, could do, won’t do. Modi’s ability to keep the focus on himself gives a remarkable coherence to the debates on the national elections. 

Expanding Hopes

Up until 2014, there was a tremendous loss of confidence and trust in the government. People begged and pleaded with the state for help, were routinely disappointed by the extent of apathy, arrogance, and corruption of the government machinery. The best they thought they could do was put their man or woman into the system whom they could go for help. 

Modi has overhauled the whole system of delivery for the government's social programs. Not for all but for much of it. A case in point is the help for Medical Assistance. That required much running around, waiting and disappointment. All that is now changing with the mechanisms put in place for Ayushman Bharat. 

What people have now begun to believe is that the right person can make the government work and work better.

Modi today has become the symbol of hope for the people that had no hope. And that hope is expanding beyond that of service delivery and welfare delivery to other areas - their security, their well being, the preservation of their faith, their hopes for a better future. 

Indeed Modi has expanded the scope of hope to include all this and more. If what was not done for years could be done in some areas, it can be done in other areas as well, they think.  Modi hai to mum kin hai (with Modi there it is always possible). He is at once fighting for their needs, aspiration and pride.

Modi is now the fighting their battles and they in-turn are fighting for him, at great personal risks, as can be seen by the attacks and abuse hurled on Modi supporters. 

Despite Some Missed Opportunities

But, much of Modi governments energies have been consumed in fixing leaks in the system.

And though Modi has laid the foundations for and sowed the seeds for a long term growth, through his various social programs and infrastructure initiatives. He may have not done enough to accelerate the pace of growth further.

What he may have missed out on doing is the engagement with the private enterprise at a grand scale for the remaking and reconstruction of India. A bit here a bit there has been done. Not enough.

What Modi may have not put attention to is the liberation of the private enterprise, caged for generations now. In that sense, he hasn’t been much of a reformer till now. The GST, IBC, the clean-up of the 1500 or so outdated laws, etc. can all be seen as fixing the systemic deficiencies rather than rewriting the systems. 

Or e.g. the remaking of the education system to squarely address the shortage of skilled workers. There remains a huge hole to fill-up here. Again here he has tried to fix the systems in many ways and pushed through capacity expansion at un-unprecedented speed. But is that good enough? 

Things that, if given attention to, could have accelerated the pace of growth and tremendously, helped in moving things forward faster. 

But even for the people who would have wished him to do much better on these counts, he still is the only hope they can latch on to at the moment. Maybe what Modi said recently, gives them hope - ‘If the last 5 years were about fulfilling the needs of the people the next five will be about meeting people’s aspirations.’ 

The opposition has tried its best to discredit Modi and disrupt, but with little success. Modi’s juggernaut rolls on, gaining ever greater momentum. Much of India is hanging on to the hope that Modi holds. Modi is still the Man of India’s hopes as he was in 2014. 

Something that most political commentators and actors opposed to him, have failed to grasp, or perhaps don’t want to acknowledge. Steeped as they are in politics based on narrow identities and needs.