By Japan K Pathak, Ahmedabad

As I already mentioned it earlier, the local body polls this time were solo show of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and state BJP organization. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national president of BJP Amit Shah had distanced themselves from this election. They probably thought they should treat these local elections like any other local elections of any other states and should allow state leadership to run the show. Shri Modi didn’t even come to cast his vote as he was on Malaysia/Singapore visit. Amit Shah came to cast his vote, but refused to speak to media.

This was the second local election season in Gujarat post 1980s when Narendra Modi was not at the helm of affairs. As a state BJP organizational general secretary deputed by RSS, Narendra Modi was architect of party’s first victory in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation(AMC) in 1980s. My maternal grand father Shri Jayendra Pandit was first Mayor of BJP in Ahmedabad. I remember, in those years BJP had not enough candidates to field. Narendrabhai therefore took a decision to field doctors and engineers in various wards. My father an engineer and also as son-in-law of party’s Mayor post candidate was offered ticket to contest from Paldi ward. As he was not interested in politics, he refused and late Haren Pandya, also an engineer was selected in his place to contest from Paldi. This is how Harenbhai entered politics.

Anyway, Narendrabhai continued to be the main person at not just strategic level but also campaign level ever since 1987. In initial years, he would mostly address party’s karyakarta meets only and not typical public meetings. I remember such three-four meets. He had amazing ability to make his point and motivate the karyakartas, or convince the voters.

BJP continued to win local polls throughout in 1990s. The victory in 1995 was pretty impressive.

There was just one local poll season when Narendrabhai was not at the helm in Gujarat. After Khajuraho misadventure by Shankersinh Vaghela, Narendrabhai was called to Delhi and handed over the newer responsibilities there. For a brief time he was called back to Gujarat as incharge of Lok Sabha polls in late 1990s, but then he returned back to Delhi. During year 2000 local polls in Gujarat, Narendrabhai sitting in Delhi was completely unattached. BJP tasted worst defeat in that poll season. The party under then organizational general secretary Sanjay Joshi and Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel lost Ahmedabad and Rajkot municipal corporations, along with number of district panchayats and other bodies.

As per ‘The Hindu’ report published on 30th September 2000, Narendrabhai in Delhi in reply to a question about the results of Gujarat local poll results said, “this was the first election in Gujarat in which I was not associated. I would have been very happy if my colleagues had done well in Gujarat even in my absence, (and) if they had been able to take care of the precious legacy I left behind.”

Did Narendrabhai actually say this? Well ‘The Hindu’ report is available online.

Then came year 2005 and 2010 local polls, and Narendrabhai was there to lead from the front as Chief Minister, Chief Strategist and Chief Campaigner.

Now here’s year 2015 and Mr Modi is in Delhi as Prime Minister. He just can’t afford to, forget micro manage, even provide basic guidance to this state-specific local polls. The slogan, the agenda, the campaign, the advertisements, in everything, Modi’s touch was missing.

The party nevertheless has done very well in urban areas, that anyway give around 70% seats to BJP in assembly polls. To ensure that rural Gujarat vote again for the party, Modi would definitely be back in 2017 for Gujarat assembly general elections campaign, coupled with Shah for strategy. Meanwhile, for period before that, Delhi may assign some lesson to the state leadership, very soon. Pending restructuring process of party’s state organization has to be watched out for now.

– DeshGujarat