The party head quarter was the buzzing venue of constant political activities with unmatched enthusiasm of the party office bearers to present every day a new face from the opposition joining the party. The activities continued to 50 days with grand celebration of the outcome the mandate won by Narendra Modi. Not only enthusiasm was missing for entire campaign period but also noticeable was the silence of influential leaders.

The enthusiasm in the party in 2014 was in spite of the conditions imposed by Narendra Modi for leading the party in the election. He had not only bypassed the three issues that were identity marks of the party but replaced the main theme based on religious approach by the economic growth as the prime and primary concern. He did not allow any party man to share his campaign but also relegated the party out of focus by seeking the vote for the Modi government. Poster theme was changed for a week only but old posters remained in focus for the rest of the campaign. The opposition was not the main target but enthusing young voters with credible promise of rapid economic growth was his theme song.

The campaign for the 2019 was in total contrast. The unique identification issues became main part in the party agenda though the Prime Minister did not refer to them. His silence was ominous as the lack of enthusiasm in the party was. The headquarters in Delhi had deserted look with even ardent BJP supporting media men avoiding visit. The party headquarters expected less than half the numbers of what the Lotus symbol had won in the previous election.

The party had lost seven of eight seats in Lok Sabha, mostly with overwhelming numbers of rural voters in bye-elections in 2018. It could not make inroad in any state under the strong command of regional party. Only saving grace was victory in the Gujarat polls though with 16 seats snatched away from previous election tally. But the voting pattern clearly indicated loss of the party in rural seats. The Sangh chief was lacking enthusiasm was evident from indifference of the Sangh machinery. Majority of known old leaders had retired from electioneering. Yet NaMo delivered a mandate with adding twenty more seats to the tally of the previous election. The 2019 election outcome has established beyond doubt that the party would survive in power corridors only with NaMo leading it. Winning mandate may be specialty for NaMo but it does not ensure majority within the parliamentary party. The deal was apparently hammered in to allow NaMo to lead the government though details were worked out in privacy and may not be revealed. Activities of NaMo in first six months, spending more days in visiting other nations than on rejuvenation of the sagging economy indicated his new interest in earning international fame rather than ruling India. In his absence the Prime Minister’s Office was virtually in control of his home minister.

It is difficult to identify the power that guided the reduction of Kashmir from a special status state into a union territory. The verdict by the Supreme Court, that appears more of a political solution than a legal judgment, cleared the path of erecting a temple in place of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya district. But the sharp adverse reactions in the international comity to the concealed motive move to reduce the Muslims to be sub-citizens who can live in India but without the rights and benefits of citizens made NaMo to put his foot down and reject any move of fresh registration of citizens.

It was most surprising that the NaMo regime undertook implementation of all three controversial steps in first year of its second term. NaMo had not concealed his faith in and admiration for Mahatma Gandhi in his first term. He had bent at the spot on the railway station in South Africa where Mahatma Gandhi was ejected from the train almost a century ago for his insisting of travelling in the compartment reserved only for white. The action was displayed on Indian television networks. He earned international fame but must have ignited flames of resentment to make him the most unwanted power wielder in the party.

While America was caught in the high flames of the pandemic corona virus with million infected and more than ten thousand deaths, the Prime Minister NaMo was engaged in according the grand welcome to the visiting American President at Ahmadabad. A month later he suddenly declared the Lockdown of all activities to fight and control spread of pandemic corona infection. The party that campaigned for 25 years for a new temple on the controversial site had to bear with closure of all religious activities, rites and other ceremonies for indefinite period. That too was in the era of the wielding power with the party.

The Prime Minister had not consulted his party leaders, chief ministers of his party or other parties like he had not at the time of demonetization in November 2016. Both his harsh steps have pushed the economy to brinks of a certain collapse. The economic recovery may not be possible for next two years with majority of working hands back to their original states without finances to return with their families to their working stations. The government may be compelled to bear the burden of expenses for their return to revive the industrial production though revival is uncertain due to sagged economies of the most nations. Without demand revival of production seems impossible task. Yet his fan club believes he alone can rule as he is the only popular political personality. It reflects underestimation of courage and capacity of Indian voters for adventure of change of rulers. The fan club overlooks that Indian voters had displayed the courage of changing the rulers by ousting the Manmohan Singh government in 2014, in the saddle for the previous decade.

The NaMo government would need out of dire necessity to put on hold all other development activities to overcome impact of two sharp and harsh decisions, demonetization and the Lockdown so the economy revives early. NaMo would need to battle with mentors of his party who control the loyalties of a clear majority in the parliamentary party. The free political drama would soon begin for Indian audience. It is inevitable.