Columnists, editors, TV channels’ anchors, regional and national print media etc. have decoded the stupendous and spectacular victory of BJP in three states which veered around prime minister, Narender Modi, obviously logical, in view of his maximum contributions as the most popular leader.
In this backdrop, union home minister Amit Shah’s role as a master strategist got full credit for crafting the poll game plan which yielded desired results in the recent assembly elections.
The third top leader in saffron party
But in this sequence, analysts and commentators did not do justice with third top leader in saffron party i.e. Jagat Prakash Nadda ,national president though he got immense applause from none other than prime minister .It is a hard fact that Modi is very conservative when it comes to public recognition of any party leader though he is aware of the capacity and delivery of everyone .At this juncture, it will be domineering and relevant to mention Modi’s observations about Nadda which might have been most satisfying to him.
PM liberally praised Nadda during post victory celebrations at party headquarters in New Delhi and described National president as a leader having organizational prowess, a habit of untiring hard work put in behind the scenes besides preparing the groundwork for party’s eventual electoral success in Hindi heartland states. Modi did not stop here and went on lauding Nadda’s commitment and dedication even on the face of personal bereavement during the assembly elections.
While dwelling on the future strategy to ensure third win for Modi in 2024, Nadda did not mince the words and shared with this writer that writings are on the walls that people of the country have made up their mind to give another chance to prime minister to take India to the category of developed nations in the world. The outcome of state polls is squarely deep rooted in the faith and confidence reposed by voters in Modi’s Guarantee and it is working like a mirage for the opposition which lacks credibility, coherence and commitment.
Nadda's predictions
Nadda predicts that I.N.DI.A has started dithering away prior to taking concrete shape which can be attributed to the inflated egos of regional straps, over ambition, inner contradictions and control of Gandhis over Congress. BJP is the symbol of stability and Modi is epi -center of this ‘Mantra’ which will be a predominant factor in 2024 polls to win even larger numbers of Lok Sabha seats.
National president is convinced that BJP is a way ahead of opposition in the preparedness of the 2024 polls and his party fights every election with full strength and energy which is not visible in any opposition party. BJP has been working on 150 parliamentary seats which were never won by the party and task is in progress since past one year. The party will work out an action plan to have new alliances and adopt a flexible approach while accommodating them unlike opposition which is fighting against each other over seat sharing and common agenda.
Nadda heavily came down upon the vested interests which are trying to create a wedge between North and South as such ploy will not work especially when BJP is hell bent upon foiling the divisive agenda to divide the country. BJP has got a plan to counter these forces which will be supported by people of India who will never accept such propaganda. Regarding the losses in Telangana and Karnataka, Nadda’s optimism rests on the viewpoint that electorates vote in different mode when it comes to the center which will be visible in 2024.Nadda was upset when the party lost assembly polls in his home state, Himachal but plans to regain the lost ground by winning all four Lok Sabha seats. Modi acquired special space in the hearts of people of hilly state and always showed magnanimity while providing financially help to the state hence people would like to reciprocate this gesture, feels Nadda.
BJP's commitment to generational change
Unlike Congress, BJP has shown that it is committed to effect generational change in the states and one can witness from the smooth selection of Chief ministers of three states. Nadda is also satisfied over the new experiment of fielding MPs which exhibits discipline of party workers who are ready to pass the litmus test whenever organization requires such sacrifice. Nadda has got close relations with RSS and says that BJP works in tandem with RSS which is the soul of every worker and delivers in hardship also. Nadda’s close association with Modi dates back to the early nineties when the latter was in charge of party affairs of Himachal and they used to move together on Lambretta scooter in Shimla.
It has been a long, arduous journey for grassroots Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker and former students’ leader, 63-year-old Jagat Prakash Nadda who had been initially appointed the working president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is considered as a symbol of dynamism, perseverance, sobriety and maturity. Later he got elected to the post of national president of BJP on January 20,2020 and extension upto June,2024 due to state polls and general elections.
Nadda credited his success to God and was particularly grateful to Modi and Shah for having expressed their faith in his capabilities to carry on the legacy of master strategist, Shah. He believes that it will be an uphill task to come close to standards set by Shah.
Student's leader to BJP working President
Nadda’s ascent from a students’ leader to the working president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), at a time when the party has flourished in a majority of the states and has decimated the Opposition in the recent parliamentary polls, makes it special and significant as it took him to the top slot in the party.
At this juncture, one can’t help but recall Nadda’s forceful exit from Himachal politics in May 2010 due to his differences with former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal after being a Cabinet minister twice in the BJP government. This turned into a blessing in disguise because it gave him a golden opportunity to work in the organization. He was then appointed as the general secretary by former BJP chief, Nitin Gadkari.
The unflinching faith that Nadda had in Modi and Shah was seen in post-Himachal assembly polls in 2017 during lobbying of probable candidates for the post of Himachal Pradesh’s chief minister following the unexpected defeat of Dhumal from the Sujanpur assembly seat. Dhumal had been declared the CM candidate by Shah during campaigning. At that time, Nadda was termed as a front-runner for the post by the press (which can often be wrong). The final choice was Jai Ram Thakur, termed by critics as the accidental CM. Nadda’s reaction of being unaffected by this choice reaffirmed the party leadership’s faith in him.
Analysts firmly believed the notion of Modi and Shah to strategies much in advance which was evident in the announcement made by the party president in a 2019 Lok Sabha election rally in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh about the possibility of giving greater responsibility to Anurag Thakur if electorates ensured his victory. This categorical assurance had surprised many as no one seemed to be sure of a Modi wave at the time. But political observers believed that it was clear proof of secret planning by Modi and Shah to induct Anurag Thakur in the Cabinet while also carving out a big space for Nadda in the organization.
There were many indications of this strategy way back in 2019. First, despite Nadda being one of the senior ministers in National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-1 and his close proximity to Modi and Shah, he did not get a phone call from the Prime Minister’s Office or from the party President (while Anurag Thakur did). Second, Nadda was given the responsibility of the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, which is proof of the BJP leadership’s faith in him. His master stroke — the inclusion of the Apna Dal in the NDA — was a snub to detractors and propagators of caste equations. Despite this, no one, including Nadda, had any clue about his future; a fact known only to Modi, Shah and RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat.
Nadda was a student in Patna College when he participated in Jayaprakash Narayan’s Bihar movement against corruption and the misrule of the state government. This movement later turned into a total revolution to oust Indira Gandhi from power at the Centre on November 18, 1974. He had a close association with the RSS as a worker and was in the RSS’ student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad for several years and was their national president in 1990-91.
Nadda grew under the influence of stalwarts such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and LK Advani, who guided him at every step of his political career. He is known for his qualities of being moderate and open-minded.
In the end,while negating the opposition ploy of caste census, Nadda feels that BJP will take appropriate decision national caste census but Modi’s vision of four castes will be predominant Takeaway in 2024 pols who feels that youth, development of women, farmers and poor will take India to next level in future.
(Writer is political analyst and senior journalist based in Shimla)
