Why Modi Can Never Be a PM?


Bangalore: The name Narendra Modi reminds people inevitably of the Godhra riots. Does Modi’s name remain tainted forever? It may be an unpleasant reality for the liberal left, but most Indians view the events of 2002 as ancient history. But will Modi ever be able to get to the PM’s chair? Lakshmi Chaudhry and Sandip Roy for First Post listed the most compelling reasons why Modi may never become Prime Minister, or enjoy an extremely short tenure if he does.

Man vs. Party:

In a parliamentary democracy the individual matters far less than the party. There may be exceptions. A regional leader can start his or her own party like that of Mamata, but it does not work at the national level. Or, may be one family can dominate a national party, but that needs the advantage of dynasty.

Any BJP candidate for the top post has to be a party man, and enjoy the unqualified backing of its political life partner, the RSS. But Modi instead has made a career of pushing away the leadership of both. Former Gujarat chief minister Suresh Mehta told Tehelka, “The RSS unit in Gujarat in toto is against him, from the prant pracharak to the lowest worker. Modi has broken the Sangh; broken the party. He has raised his own personal stake so high, he has decimated the party structures.”

From Gadkari to Advani, once Modi’s protector, everyone has gone against Modi. It’s hard to prosper in a parliamentary system when your own people don’t like you very much. As one BJP leader made a clever remark to Outlook magazine, even if Modi succeeds in projecting himself as the next PM, “rest assured, the BJP will defeat him”.