Narendra Modi fast-tracks image makeover, stuns party-13/9/11

Narendra Modi fast-tracks image makeover, stuns party



Narendra Modi’s surprise announcement to fast for harmony and amity is being seen by many in his startled party as the first signal of his intention to move out of Gujarat and on to the national political stage.

The chief minister’s declared “sadbhavana mission” is an image-makeover exercise intended to raise his profile above that of merely a good administrator, and possibly erase the taint of the riots that have continued to cast their shadow over him, feel several of his senior party colleagues.

“It is part of his image management. He wants to put 2002 behind,” a senior national BJP leader told The Indian Express.

Another leader said, “Modi has successfully built and marketed a brand around him. But if he nurses an ambition to become the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in 2014, he has to reinvent himself to gain wider acceptability.”

Among the NDA’s current and prospective constituents, the Shiv Sena and Akali Dal may not have problems with Modi, but he is anathema to the JD(U). The tensions between him and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are well known. To have a realistic shot at power, the BJP will need more allies, to whom its prime ministerial candidate must be acceptable.



Sources said it was likely some top BJP leaders might land in Gujarat — apparently in a show of support for Modi, but also to not allow him to hog the limelight entirely — around the time of his fast. What cannot be missed is the fact that Modi has made his image-makeover bid ahead of L K Advani’s planned rath yatra, aimed at bringing the focus back on the BJP veteran who two years ago ceded space to a younger leadership in the party and assumed the role of a mentor.

For the record, the BJP said the chief minister’s initiative was “laudable”. “Gujarat has been maligned a lot over the years. ‘Hate Modi campaign’ has become a cottage industry. It is a laudable initiative by the chief minister for amity and brotherhood,” chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Several central leaders got in touch with Modi soon after his announcement to applaud the “master stroke”.
The development surprised BJP leaders in Gujarat as well. In Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, senior state level leaders were in a meeting till late evening. Party workers across the state were awaiting instructions.

The state police said they expected information about the venue for Modi’s fast on Wednesday. There was speculation that Modi might choose between the Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar, the Sabarmati Ashram, and Gujarat University Grounds in Ahmedabad. Some said Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace Porbandar could be the likely choice.

State DGP Chitranajan Singh said, “We have not been informed yet where the CM is beginning his fast from. He has a Z-plus security cover so a security cover would be provided to him accordingly with all other forces in place.”

In Saurashtra, BJP leaders said meetings had begun since Tuesday evening after Modi announced his fast plans, and they awaited instructions. Vadodara and Surat city BJP presidents Bharat Dangar and Purnesh Joshi said the same.