Tall claims and jibes: Modi's 3-nation tour showed weakness, not strength

[Nicky G]

But that aint diplomacy buddy. We need to create a positive view. Its not like BJP will be ruling always. Maybe 10 years down the line, Congress will come back to power, and badmouth BJP and previous govt in foreign land? It doesnt look good

Its a cycle which must not be followed. Thats my point of view.

If the current government is going to constrain itself every-time it is concerned with a possible retaliation from the opposition which could be in power down the line, it might end up doing little.

Actually, a stark example is US presidents not prosecuting the actions of past presidents, such as illegal torture, just so that their own actions are not prosecuted by the next dispensation.

That's quid-pro-quo, not good and not what at least I expect from this government.

 

[magudi]

@Nicky G @Ammyy @levina @Rain Man @Mike_Brando @SamantK @Rajaraja Chola @SarthakGanguly @Jaat Rock @Manindra @Ryuzaki

First let's have a small recap -here's what the same author had predicted about LS 2014 with his exemplary analytical skills

MK Venu

The BJP had successfully created a narrative that Narendra Modi was riding a big electoral wave in North India reflecting the voter's need for a more development-oriented alternative arrangement at the Centre.

Based on this narrative, the party had indeed started believing it could, on its own, get close to 272 seats in the Lok Sabha. But suddenly, in the last few days, Narendra Modi is showing signs of nervousness about the BJP reaching the 240-245 mark that some opinion polls have predicted.

Modi suddenly talking about the Ram Rajya in a public meeting in Faizabad with an imposing image of Lord Rama and a temple in the backdrop, as also Amit Shah suggesting Azamgarh was a hub of terrorism, shows the nervousness in the BJP camp about getting the last 50 of the 250 Lok Sabha seats which Modi thinks the party can get on its own.

Otherwise, why would Modi move away from development issues and sharply raise both communal and caste issues just before 33 Lok Sabha seats in East UP went to the polls in the last two phases of voting? The question is - is the BJP facing a last mile (about 50 seats) problem? Does the BJP fear it may be confined to just about 200 seats and will consequently be forced to seek help from many allies? Indeed, this could be the cause of Modi's nervousness. This worry is making Modi resort to all kinds of electoral tactics.

Narendra Modi for the first time spoke at length about his own lower caste status from a public platform in response to Priyanka Gandhi's charge against him of doing "neech rajniti" or lowly politics. Modi cleverly twisted Priyanka's use of the word "neech" to suggest she was actually pointing to his backward caste status. Indeed, such tactics only reflect the mindset of a leader who is not entirely sure of himself.

Meanwhile, the BSP leader Mayawati, who has been quietly working hard on the ground and shunning the media by and large, chose to go on national channels condemning Modi's last-minute tactic of playing on his lower caste status. "Why has Modi not made his exact caste status public so far? Why is he doing it now? What is the history of BJP's commitment to backward caste politics? They disagreed with VP Singh who implemented Mandal Commsision," Mayawati said in a rare TV appearance.

Interestingly, Mayawati chose to come on national television because the BSP is very strong in many of the 33 crucial seats in East UP (which are voting this week and next) where the BJP got just four seats in the 2009 poll. The BJP's calculation is that it must get at least an additional 20 to 25 seats in East UP to contribute to the last mile (50 seats) which will help it reach an overall tally of 245 to 250 seats.

The BJP is not sure about getting the required numbers in East UP because Mayawati's consolidation of Dalits and Muslims is very strong here. The Samajwadi Party (SP) too is quite strong in some pockets of East UP.

Actually, the BJP is desperate to reach 250 Lok Sabha seats because this will enable it to form a government with possibly just two of its stable allies, Shiv Sena and Akali Dal. If Modi falls short of the majority mark by about 70 to 80 seats, then it will have a problem on its hands.

In a way, this problem has been articulated by Rahul Gandhi in his interview to Amar Ujala this week. Gandhi says two-thirds of the current BJP allies don't have even one seat in Parliament. Some of the bigger former allies of the BJP, such as TMC, BJD and JD (U) are the biggest critics of Modi. So this leaves Narendra Modi in a very vulnerable situation if the BJP's seat tally hovers around just the 200 mark. That might explain why Narendra Modi is using the Hindutva card and his backward caste status so desperately in the last phase of the election.

The BJP's strategy hinges entirely on increasing its Lok Sabha seats tally in Uttar Pradesh from 10 in 2009 to 45-50 seats in 2014. In Bihar, where the BJP claimed a big pro-Modi wave, the party had expected to raise its tally from 12 seats in 2009 to at least 26-28 seats in 2014. However, the sudden resurgence of Lalu Yadav in Bihar has somewhat halted the BJP's ambition of more than doubling its tally in Bihar.

In UP too, it now appears, the BJP is not very confident of the "big wave" taking it to 50 plus seats. This writer visited many villages around many East UP constituencies and found that the massive media blitz by the BJP made everyone parrot Modi's name as if he was a natural choice being propelled by some unknown force and articulated by the media.

But when one spoke to the same individuals about ground realities, they would talk about a tough three-way fight between candidates of the BSP, the BJP and the SP.

Dayashankar Mishra, a school teacher in Bhadoi constituency said, "Dish TV has been giving us Modi's speeches day after day non-stop. So people take his name naturally as a PM candidate. But on the ground there are strong candidates from the BSP and SP."

Going by people's response, this may just be the first American style television campaign executed by Narendra Modi across rural India. On television it is a one-horse race. However, things seem different on the ground. This is what is making the BJP nervous.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

Narendra Modi's Last-Mile Jitters

So much for his assessment skills
==============================================================================

Now let's forget the All India Anti Modi Journalist Association for a moment and see what Harsh V Pant , Professor of International Relations at King's College London, has to say about modi's trip

Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a nine-day tour of three key western nations which has already taken him to France and Germany, where has used use his "Make in India" initiative to encourage investment from Europe's two largest economies. Defence, energy, and infrastructure took centrestage in Paris as Modi went on a boat ride with the French President on the Seine and interacted with French business leaders before visiting a World War I memorial, where he paid tribute to 10,000 Indians who lost their lives fighting with the French. In Germany, the real European powerhouse, Modi met Chancellor Angela Merkel and inaugurated the Hannover Messe, considered one of the world's largest congregations of industry gurus, in which India is a partner country this year.

Modi's unabashed selling of India as an investment destination is the most striking aspect of his outreach to the West. Unlike his predecessors, India now has a Prime Minister who is more in tune with global diplomacy than most of the foreign policy bureaucracy and commentariat in Delhi. One of the most important roles that leaders of major economies are expected to play in today's day and age is that of a salesman. From Barack Obama to Xi Jinping, from David Cameron to Angela Merkel, the first order of business for most governments today is to sell their countries as welcoming places for doing business. And Modi is a salesman par excellence. Pledging a stable and transparent tax regime, Modi has been busy wooing global investors, arguing that development is "not a mere political agenda" but an "article of faith" for his government and has sought international support to achieve the objectives crucial for growth.

He has also been underlining that his government means business. "India is a now changed country... our regulatory regime is much more transparent, responsive and stable," Modi said in Germany as he promised investors that his government is working on a "war footing" to improve the business environment further. This is something that global investors have long wanted to hear from Indian leaders. Today they see a leader who has the mandate to deliver on his commitments, and they seem impressed.

In France, Modi's 'can-do' attitude and pragmatic instincts were unleashed as he tried to move forward on projects that have been stuck for a long time. The Rafale deal has been in limbo for the past three years over terms of procedures and pricing negotiations even as the Indian Air Force has been worried about meeting its "critical operational necessity." Modi managed to break the deadlock with his out-of-the-box approach when he signed a government-to-government deal with France for the supply of 36 Rafale fighter jets in "fly-away" condition "as quickly as possible." Though this goes against his 'Make in India' pitch, he understood the urgency of IAF demands. In some ways, this was compensated by the support Modi's 'Make in India' campaign received from Airbus which declared that the company was "ready to manufacture in India, for India and the world." Airbus Group is likely to increase its sourcing of aerospace parts from Indian companies to $2 billion in the next five years. India and France also inked deals aimed at early operationalisation of civil nuclear cooperation agreement.

Modi's ability to effectively link India's past with the nation's future was underscored when he talked about India's aspirations for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council. Where previous Indian governments had been diffident in highlighting the contribution of Indians to the two World Wars, Modi paid a tribute to about 10,000 Indians who had died fighting alongside their French counterparts in World War I, underlining the fact that Indians have been sacrificing their lives for world peace and stability for over a century. As such, India's place on the UNSC is the nation's right. This is an argument that should have been made long back, but Congress governments have been reluctant to take this up for ideological reasons.

Modi has done well in France and Germany, but behind the warm welcome that Modi has received also lies the hard reality of the shifting global balance of economic power. India is at the heart of this recalibration. Modi's election has changed perceptions about India and there are hopes that India is finally getting its act together. At a time when Europe is struggling economically, and the larger western world is jittery about China's growing global heft, strong ties with India are now a cornerstone of the foreign policies of most western nations, and support for strong bilateral ties with India cuts across the party and political divide.

Modi's critics at home may crib about his foreign policy ventures being full of hype, but a large part of global diplomacy today is about selling a narrative about your nation that inspires confidence. If any political leader in India can do that effectively today, it is Modi. The Indian story is much more attractive today than it was a year ago, and Modi is best positioned to narrate it to a largely receptive audience.

India and the West will not always agree, but it's a sign of mature partnerships when partners can gracefully agree to disagree. New Delhi stands to benefit from leveraging partnerships rather than shunning them. Today, India is well positioned to define its bilateral partnerships on its own terms and would do well to continue engaging more closely with those countries that can facilitate its rise in regional and global prominence. Modi seems to understand this much better than most of his critics - and predecessors.

Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe

 

[Ammyy]

@Nicky G @Ammyy @levina @Rain Man @Mike_Brando @SamantK @Rajaraja Chola @SarthakGanguly @Jaat Rock @Manindra @Ryuzaki

First let's have a small recap -here's what the same author had predicted about LS 2014 with his exemplary analytical skills



Narendra Modi's Last-Mile Jitters

So much for his assessment skils
==============================================================================

Now let's forget the All India Anti Modi Indian Journalist Association for a moment and see what Harsh V Pant , Professor of International Relations at King's College London, has to say about modi's trip

Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe




Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe

Modi as PM is best thing for India ... And his 282 seats are really magical movement for India and its people.

Every other party know that in 5 years he will change so many bad thing into good for India and that's fear them most.
If he succeeded in his even half of promises then you will see atleast 300+ for BJP alone in 2019.

 

[Mike_Brando]

@Nicky G @Ammyy @levina @Rain Man @Mike_Brando @SamantK @Rajaraja Chola @SarthakGanguly @Jaat Rock @Manindra @Ryuzaki

First let's have a small recap -here's what the same author had predicted about LS 2014 with his exemplary analytical skills



Narendra Modi's Last-Mile Jitters

So much for his assessment skils
==============================================================================

Now let's forget the All India Anti Modi Indian Journalist Association for a moment and see what Harsh V Pant , Professor of International Relations at King's College London, has to say about modi's trip

Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe




Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe

An excellent article by Mr.Harsh V Pant.Our hon'able P.M. Mr.Modi is indeed a salesman par excellence as far as the Indian interests are concerned and we are really lucky to have a salesman like him unlike his Oxford educated predecessor Mr.M.M.Singh who was an excellent economist but more or less a failure as the P.M. of this country!!

 

[Nicky G]

@Nicky G @Ammyy @levina @Rain Man @Mike_Brando @SamantK @Rajaraja Chola @SarthakGanguly @Jaat Rock @Manindra @Ryuzaki

First let's have a small recap -here's what the same author had predicted about LS 2014 with his exemplary analytical skills



Narendra Modi's Last-Mile Jitters

So much for his assessment skils
==============================================================================

Now let's forget the All India Anti Modi Indian Journalist Association for a moment and see what Harsh V Pant , Professor of International Relations at King's College London, has to say about modi's trip

Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe




Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe

Venu just another AdarshLiberal, laugh at his post and move on. A hung parliament and a weak BJP government was their last refuge when they knew a 'secular' government was very unlikely.

The second article makes very good points, particularly about leaders ultimately being salesmen in today's world. If we as a country and our PM who represents us on the global stage are not assertive about our progress, achievements and potential, why would someone else take interest?

I have already argued why it was smart to point our the mistakes of previous government in the context of correcting, them, so no need to go there again.

At the end of the day, its about results. If Modi able to deliver, its great for all of us, well maybe not the opposition and their supporters but our country as a whole. The media and opposition is just noise to be ignored and ridiculed when they cross the line. It was so hilarious for the media to concentrate on a shawl, the westerners must have found that odd and stupid.

In his first year, Modi has spent a lot of political capital on the foreign front and I see it as a part of the larger game to try to improve India's position globally at the earliest and also invigorate investment ASAP. Good thinking, we need to see how it pans out.

 

[SamantK]

@Nicky G @Ammyy @levina @Rain Man @Mike_Brando @SamantK @Rajaraja Chola @SarthakGanguly @Jaat Rock @Manindra @Ryuzaki

First let's have a small recap -here's what the same author had predicted about LS 2014 with his exemplary analytical skills



Narendra Modi's Last-Mile Jitters

So much for his assessment skills
==============================================================================

Now let's forget the All India Anti Modi Journalist Association for a moment and see what Harsh V Pant , Professor of International Relations at King's College London, has to say about modi's trip

Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe




Modi's Can-Do Attitude Clicks in Europe

Haters gonna hate , this guy is so out of tune with reality that introspection on his behalf does not figure in his narrow view. Despite a lot of refreshing positive news we keep hearing from his diplomatic trips, you have these roaches who would not even take the time to analyze and pick out mistakes or give suggestions on what better could be done, cause it needs efforts and our Indian Journalists have got used to news being dished out on a platter by UPA.
Very few want to work hard, if his third grade opinion disguised as hatered pays for his bread and butter, what else does he care for!

 

[SpArK]

Dragging the Fighter jet to more decades, no deal on French reactor or any investment from France and Germany or no Uranium deal from Canada after so many years would have made this journey of Modi a Huge grand success which is very related to the foreign visits of our premiers in the past.

This is clearly a change from the predecessors where a guy is making decision which are clear cut and grabbing a lot of attention from world over.

So it really shows weakness.

Great thread.

 

[SelfServeFive]

Modi should now unilaterally declare India a security council permanent veto member and shupa powa!