Mumbai: We have to bow our heads and accept the new order with humility and grace, no matter what our reservations and apprehensions about the man who will soon be anointed the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, writes our columnist Shobhaa De.
Narendra Modi’s early tweet after his stupendous sweep at the polls, says it all. He has described the BJP victory as ‘Bharat Ki Vijay…” And how right he is! The people of India have delivered their verdict - 814 million of them. We have to bow our heads and accept the new order with humility and grace, no matter what our reservations and apprehensions about the man who will soon be anointed the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy. Change was imminent. Change has happened. A brand new chapter in India’s history has begun. The first few lines are still being written, even as more results trickle in. This is not the time to gloat. Or even mourn. There is a great deal of work that needs to get done. And get done quickly. Let us see if Narendra Modi and his team live up to people’s high expectations from the party that promised ‘Minimum government. Maximum governance.”
Is anybody really surprised by the numbers we are seeing? Yes and no. Political pundits had predicted pretty accurately (for a change!) that the country was ready to shift gears and elect not just a new leader, but a new political eco system. India has given its mandate to a brand new leader. Indian voters have demonstrated their faith in a person who decisively projected dynamism and strength, stressing on ‘development’ over ‘dynasty’ all along. Perhaps that was the precisely pitched emotive call ( to finally overthrow a family that had effectively run and ruined the country for six decades) which did the trick.
Let’s be honest - this was a vote against the Gandhi family – make no bones about it. It was also a vote against systemic and sustained corruption. Voters equated the two ( Gandhis and corruption) and delivered a strong verdict against the Congress-led UPA government. A verdict that says one hell of a lot about the frustration and rage of the electorate – the youth of the country, in particular. Modi’s strident call to aggressively fight India’s first family of politics, was exactly the trigger that led to the snow balling of a nation- wide revolt aimed at overthrowing Sonia Gandhi and her son, Rahul Gandhi, - two individuals who had become emblematic of all that was wrong in India’s polity. Modi’s focused campaign drawing attention to the rampant corruption that had eroded and corroded the very core of India, eventually worked in his favour and propelled the party to it’s spectacular win.
The real test for Modi and his team begins now.
