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CONTENTS

ChapterOneChapterTwoChapterThreeChapterFourChapterFiveChapterSixChapterSevenChapterEightChapterNineChapterTenChapterElevenChapterTwelveChapterThirteenChapterFourteenChapterFifteenChapterSixteenChapterSeventeenChapterEighteenChapterNineteenChapterTwentyIndianPolitics:Who’sWhoAbbreviationsChronologyNotesAcknowledgementsPictureSection1PictureSection2PictureAcknowledgementsIndex

CHAPTERSEVEN

I,MODI

When party president Rajnath Singh called a news conference onFriday13September2013andannouncedthattheBJPparliamentaryboard had unanimously chosen Narendra Modi to be its primeministerial candidate, the hopes and expectations of Modi’s manysupporters had finally been realised. All the preparatory work, theelegantly designedwebsites and steadily growing databases had notbeen in vain. The fiction that they could have been deployed insupport of any other candidate was quietly forgotten. Like thesupposedly reluctant Roman emperor Claudius, who went on to beworshippedasagod,Modihadbeen forced tobidehis time,buthecouldnowtakehisplaceinthespotlight.The idea that Friday the 13th is an unlucky date is a peculiarly

westernsuperstition,butthefortunesofModi’srivalsinbothhisownranksand,more importantly, theCongressParty tookanosedive.Alittle bit of Indian superstition may have helped force the timing.SomeintheBJPandtheRSSweresaidtohavewantedtoavoidthetwo-week run-up to the Hindu festival of Maha Navratri in earlyOctober, supposedly an inauspicious time to begin anything ofimportance.Modilikestosaythathisdestinyliesinthehandsofthegods,butnowthedestinyofthepartyhadbeenplacedintohis.Anyhopehisopponentsmighthaveclung to that theBJPwouldhesitateandadoptasaferpairofhandswasdashed.Modi had never for a moment contemplated a ‘safety first’

campaign, one that would have relied on disillusionment with theCongress-ledgovernmenttohandhimpowerbydefault.Nowhehadthe opportunity to set inmotion the campaign he’d alwayswanted,onedesignednotjusttowin,buttowinbig,bydominatingtheagenda

and sweeping the countrywith thepolitical equivalent of shock andawe.At the news conference he promised ‘nayi soch, nai ummeed’(newthinking,newhope),thefirstofmanycatchysloganshewouldunveilinthemonthstocome.Inhisownmind,Moditoldme,hehaddivided the campaign into three phases. The first, ‘the preparatoryperiod’, was now over. The second, from September to earlyDecember, would focus on the upcoming legislative assemblyelectionsinfourkeystates,includingDelhi,whileplanningthedetailof the national campaign to come soon after, and all the whilecontinuing to do the job towhich he’d already been elected. ‘IwasstillthechiefministerofGujaratandwasrunningthecampaignfromthere. Saturdays and Sundays would be for attending to my chiefminister’sjob,whiletheotherfivedaysoftheweekwereforinvitingvarious people from the different states and discussing andunderstandingthepoliticalscenarios.’Atthesametimehesentsomeofhisadvisersonanundercovermissionaround thecountry. ‘IsentfiveorsixofmytrustedpeopletothedifferentstatessoIcouldgetafirst-hand idea of the situation on the ground. They did not declarethat they represented me, so as to avoid any biases while theycollectedtheinformation.Theseintelligenceinputswerecrucialtothedesignofmymessagestothepeople.ThewayIthoughtaboutitwasthatmycampaignhadtobenationalbutmyappealhadtobelocaltothepeople.’Indiagota tasteofwhatwastocomewithModi’sfirstbigspeech

twodayslaterinRewari,south-westofDelhiinthestateofHaryana.At a rally for ex-servicemen, he spoke of his personal connectionswiththearea,hisprideinthecontributionmadebythemilitarysinceIndia’s Independence, and asserted that the country would only besecureoncetherewasan‘efficient,patrioticgovernmentdedicatedtothesafetyofeveryIndiancitizeninDelhi.’Itwasablendoflocalandnational appeal that would become the hallmark of all his bigspeeches.ModiusedtheopportunitytoestablishhimselfastheDelhioutsider

from humble beginnings, a theme he would return to frequently infuture.Hetoldthemthat,asachild,‘Iusedtoserveteaandsnackstothesoldiers’,andheevendreamtofbecomingone.Thefirsttimeheever saw a post office waswhen hewent to send off for the armyprospectus.Itcost tworupeesbuthe‘belongedtoapoorfamilyandnever got to see even two rupees at once’. His school friendscontributedtothecostandateacherhelpedhimfillintheformwhenitarrived.Butwhenhetoldhisfatherheneededmoneytogoandtakethe entrance exam for army school, ‘my father said, son, this wecannot afford. You complete your studies at the village itself. Thatdream of mine was shattered.’ He didn’t need to contrast hischildhood with the privileged upbringing of Rahul Gandhi and hisfamily,hismessagewasclearenough.The speechwas unusual in one respect: it touched directly on the

questionofreligion,somethinghewouldtrytoavoidformostofthecampaign.AgainwithoutmentioningCongressbyname,hespokeof‘those who are trying to break society in bits and pieces under theumbrellaofsecularismforthesakeofvotebankpolitics.’Onceagainhis meaning wasn’t lost. The BJP had long accused Congress ofpandering to religious minorities in order to ‘bank’ their votes. Bycontrast, Modi based his appeal not on what he would do for anyparticularreligiousgroup,casteorsectionofsociety,butonwhathewoulddoforIndiaasawhole.Whatbetterexampleofthat,heasked,than the armed forces where Hindus and Muslims had historicallyfoughtsidebysideand‘thewaytheyhaverespectforallcreeds,thewayallofthemareworkingtogetherjusttoservethemothernation.’TheRewarispeechwassignificant,too,forthewayinwhichitwas

disseminatedwellbeyondthethousandsinthecrowd.Itwastweetedlive andhis followers on socialmediawere advised that they couldwatch the speech again onModi’s ownYouTube channel. The textwas available in full in Hindi and English on his website,www.narendramodi.in, and the attacks on Congress were givenprominenceon theNitiCentralnewspages,wherea liveaudio feed

wasmadeavailable to internetusers.Evenbeforehespoke, theBJPannouncedanotherinnovation.Peoplecouldlistentothespeechasithappened by calling a special number, 022-45014501. The mobilenumbers of everybody who did call in were duly stored andautomaticallysubscribedtoModi’sSMSandtweets.Itwaspartofaconsciousefforttousesocialmediatoforcethenewspapers,TVandradiototakenoticeofeveryspeechandtocovertheminawaythatreflectedtheprioritiesofthecampaign.IntheviewofShashiShekharof Niti Digital, this was the single biggest contribution that socialmedia platforms like his were able to make. ‘This was the firstcampaignwhere every speechwas amedia event. Every speech hemadewasbeingstreamedliveand, thankstoTwitter,everywordheuttered was being broadcast. This forced the media to get on thebandwagon.’BycontrastRahulGandhi’sfirstrallyfollowingModi’semergence

astheBJPstandard-bearerwaswidelywrittenupasadisappointment.HechosetospeakinBaraninthestateofRajasthan,somethingofaBJPstronghold,andsogotsomecreditfortakinghiscampaignontoenemy territory. The sweltering heat no doubt contributed to theevident wish of many in the crowd to get away as soon as he’dfinishedspeaking,butCongresswillhavebeenmoreworriedthatthespeech failed to resonate across the country in the same way thatModi’s had done. Coming so soon afterModi’s first outing, it wasinevitable thatdirectcomparisonswouldbedrawn,and IndiaTodaywas not alone in noting that ‘barring one or two occasions, RahulGandhifailedtoconnectwiththecrowdthewayModididinHaryanaonSunday.’OnonelevelModiandGandhiwerestilldancingaroundeachother,

with neither prepared to refer to his opponent by name. AlthoughIndia’s powerful Election Commission had strict rules that forbadepersonal attacks, they came into effect only when the electionschedule had been announced, and this had not yet happened. Fordifferentreasons,neithersidewaslikelytobenefitfromgettingintoa

personalscrapatthisstage.Andinacrucialrespectitwas,andwouldremain,anunequalcontestbetweenthetwomen.NarendraModiwasnowofficiallytheBJPcandidateforprimeminister.Congresshadn’tsaidwhowouldheadthegovernmentiftheyweretowin–andtheynever did. The party could justifiably argue that it was simplyrevertingto tradition.ThepracticeofdeclaringwhowouldbePMiftheywonwasonlya recent innovation.But therewerepersonalandpoliticalforcesatplayalso.Itwasperceivedtobeaforlornattempttoprotect Gandhi from the fallout if the party lost, and many peoplewithinCongressaswellasinthewiderpublicwerebynowconvincedthatGandhihadnorealappetiteforthejob.Eitherway,itcrippledtheCongress campaign. Harish Khare, the former journalist who hadworked as media adviser to Manmohan Singh, described it as the‘lacuna at the heart of the Congress strategy . . . depriving thecampaign – conceptually, intellectually and organisationally – of afocus. Yet the Opposition, especially Modi, has been allowed totarget-practise on a sitting duck’. Modi would refer to Gandhidisparagingly as ‘the prince’, suggesting that the younger leaderthought he had some right by birth to inherit the crown. The wordModi actually used was ‘shehzada’, which carried with it an evenmore scornful note as it often denotes a spoiled brat. Shehzada canalso be a Muslim name and Khare believed Modi deliberatelyintended to place a subliminal connection in the voters’ minds. Hepointedout that ‘theuseofMuslimnameshas longbeenpartofhisdemagogicrepertoire,withaverysubtleinvitationtohisaudiencetoequate his political rivals with “them” (the Muslims)’. Congressprotested that the use of the word was ‘undignified’. What reallytroubledthem,however,wasthatitwasdevastatinglyeffective.Both theprofessionalsurveyconductedby theBJPand theprivate

soundings taken by Modi’s undercover advisers who toured thecountryhadrevealedademandforstrong leadership.When theBJPofferedModiastheanswertothatdemand,Congressappearedtolackanybodywith the confidence to stand up and challenge him.When

Modi is asked to recall some of his personal highpoints of theelection, they are almost all occasions when his popularity wasevidentfromthesizeofthecrowdsortheintensityoftheirreaction.OnethatstoodoutwasanoccasionwhenModiwasn’tevenpresent.The legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar played his last testmatchforIndiaagainsttheWestIndiesatMumbai’sWankhedeStadiumon14–16November2013.Modi doesn’t have the time–or apparentlythe inclination – to watch much cricket, but it was the politicalsignificanceof the event that he remembers. ‘RahulGandhiwent tosee thematch and as soon as hewalked into the stadium the entirecrowd started chanting “Modi, Modi”. You would have expectedpeopletobechanting“Rahul,Rahul”,butitwastheModichantthatwashappening.Thiswasasurpriseeventome,andgoestoshowhowviralacampaigncanbewhenpeopletakeituponthemselvesthattheywantchangeandseehopeinanewleader.’There is no reason to suspect that the reaction of the crowd of

cricketfanshadbeeninanywaystage-managed.AndalreadyModi’sownralliesweretakingonanextraordinarymomentum.Whereoncepeople had to be paid to attend political meetings, now they werewillingtobuyadmissionticketstoseehimspeak.Thedeterminationof somanypeople togo togreat lengths towitnessModi inpersonwasmorethanamplydemonstratedattheendofOctoberatPatnainthestateofBihar.SanjaySingh,whoplanned tocover theevent fortheFirstPost news site, had received an early call froma friend toadvise him to get up and start walking, as, ‘There is no publictransport and there is an emerging human sea on the roads.’ As hepushed through the crowds,he listened to conversations aroundhimandquicklycametotheconclusionthatthiswasn’tlikemostpoliticalrallies he’d covered where people were bussed in and given food,drink and even money as an incentive to attend. For the most partthere seemed to be genuine enthusiasm for Modi, ‘although someothershadequallystrongpassionagainsthim’.WhenhegottotheMauryaHotel,closetotheGandhiMaidanpark

whereModiwasduethatafternoon,hewasinviteduptomeettheBJPpresident, Rajnath Singh, in his suite. Looking out over the venue,with the banks of theRiverGanges beyond, Singh predicted that itwould be the biggest political rally the country had ever seen. ButPatnawastoberememberedforotherreasons.At9.30a.m.abombexplodedinapublictoiletatthetown’strainstation.Overthecourseof themorning, another six devices exploded at different locations,including inside the park itself. Six people were killed and anothereighty-fiveinjured.WhenModilandedatthenearbyairport,hewastoldthatwhilethe

crowdshadnotbeendeterredbytheviolence,therallywouldhavetobe called off. He recounted for me what went through his mind.‘Despitethebombings,overamillionpeoplehadassembledandIwastouched that even amidst the danger of injuries and deaths somanypeoplewerewillingtoriskhearingmespeak.IthereforesaidIwouldspeakattherallydespitesomanyofmypeopleadvisingmeagainstit.IbelievedspeakingatPatnawasmymoraldutyandIspokeforafullsixty-fiveminutes.ThisistheleastIcoulddotoshowleadershipfromtheforefrontforthepeopleofastaterockedbysuchviolenceandyetriskingtheirlifetocomeandhearme.Iwastoldlaterthatthereweremore bombs found at the venue.’ One of these was close to thepodiumwhereModihadstood.Beforehe took to themicrophone, therewereannouncementsover

thespeakersystemreferringonlyto‘tyreblastsandfirecrackers’andappealing for calm. With the proceedings once again beingtransmitted live, the organisers wanted to avoid panic but wereequally determined not to let the violence distract fromwhatModihad planned to say. He made no direct reference to the bombsalthough, ‘I had to make the point that it was not about Hindusfighting against Muslims any more but was our joint fight againstissues like poverty.’ He prefaced his speechwith comments in twolocal languages, Bhojpuri and Maithili, provoking cheers from thecrowd,manyofwhomwereyoungandhadneverattendedapolitical

rallybefore.Hetalkedagainabouthispoorupbringingandmadethefirstspecificreferenceinthecampaigntohischildhooddaysasachaiwala. ‘Congress leaders don’t knowwhat poverty and hunger are. Iusedtosellteaontrains.Iknowhowdifficultitistogetontotrainsandmakealiving.’SanjaySinghreported that,despite thebombs, ‘the rallycontinued

as if nothing had happened.’After the crowds had dispersed, Singhwasback in thehotel. ‘At5.15as I file this story, anotherblasthasgoneoffinGandhiMaidan.Thenoisewasloud.FromwhereIsit,onthefifthflooroftheMauryaHotelconventionroom,Icanseethefireand smoke.’ Singh concluded that the size of the rally and theresponseofthecrowd‘wouldsurelyunnerveModi’spoliticalrivals,’whilenotingthat‘Therallywas,ifnothingelse,asecurityfailure.’After he left the ground, Modi tweeted his reaction to what had

happened, saying, ‘Blasts in Patna are deeply saddening andunfortunate.Condolenceswithfamiliesofdeceasedandprayerswithinjured.Iappealforpeaceandcalm.’Oneofhislocalpartyofficialstweeted that theyhad raised concerns about security inwritingwiththe state government, ‘Yet necessary arrangements were not made.Thisiscriminalnegligence.’Thechiefminister,NitishKumar,deniedthat there had been any security lapses and said there had been nointelligence warnings of a risk to the event. There was a politicalundercurrenttotherowasitwasKumar’sparty,theJDU,whichhadabandoned its long-standing alliance with the BJP whenModi wasselected, claiming he was a divisive leader who didn’t have theconfidenceofMuslims(seeChapterFive).JournalistsreportedseeingveryfewMuslimsinthecrowd,despitewhattheyhadbeentoldwereefforts by the BJP to encourage them to attend. Ten people werecharged in connection with the bombings, all of them Muslims,alleged by the National Investigation Agency to have ‘conspired totargetandattackNarendraModi, theBJP’sPMcandidate,who theythoughtwouldbeinimicaltotheirinterestsifhewastobecomePMofthecountry.’Atthetimeofwriting,thecasehadnotyetcometotrial.

ThePatnarallyhadbeenoverladenwithdanger.Thedecisiontogoahead, despite the possibility that there were further bombs in thepark, was taken by politicians who judged that the risk of causingpanicbycallingitoffwasevengreater.Intheeventpoliticalviolence,if that is what it was, was not allowed to disrupt the election andnothing remotely comparablewas to happen again on the campaigntrail.WhenIdiscusseditafterwardswithModi,Iwasinterestedtooinhowhehadrespondedasamanratherthanasapolitician.Hetoldmethathisownpersonalsafetyhadneverbeenaconcern.‘IreallyneverthoughtaboutthisandnordoIworryaboutmysafety.Ibelieveyourlifeispre-decidedandsowhyworry?’Itoccurredtomethatifhehadbeenafamilyman,withawifeandchildren,hemighthave thoughtabout them before putting himself in danger. For the first and onlytimeinourdiscussionsheseemedbrieflylostforwords.‘Perhaps,butI havenever had them sohowcan I know?’ he replied after a longpause,beforeadding,‘ButIhaveamother.Ihavebrothers.’Modi is never comfortable talking about deeply personal matters,

least of all affairs of the heart. And the Indian media is far morereluctantthan,say,theirBritishcounterparts,toaskquestionsaboutaleader’sprivatefeelings.ThatModiisunmarriedisrarelyconsideredworthyofnote.ThepositionofwomeninIndiansociety,ontheotherhand, isa livepolitical issueandone thatModi refers to frequently.The subject came up again in the context of an intriguing saga thatappeared on the internet on the sameday the testmatch crowdwasyelling Modi’s name. Two investigative news websites,www.cobrapost.com and www.gulail.com, broke a story that wasinstantlydubbed‘Snoopgate’.Atitsheartwere267audiorecordingsthat had been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI).Thewebsitesclaimed that the recordingscontained telephoneconversationsinAugust2009inwhichModi’smosttrustedcolleague,AmitShah,thenGujarat’shomeminister,couldbeheardorderingthesurveillance of a young woman architect whom the journalistschristened ‘Madhuri’ to protect her identity. On the tapes of the

allegedconversations,whichwerepostedonline,Shahcouldbeheardaskingforthesurveillancetobecarriedoutatthebehestofsomeonereferredtoonlyas‘Saheb’(sir),whichwasclaimedtobeareferencetohisboss,NarendraModi.According towww.gulail.com, ‘The tapes indicate that for at least

overamonththeGujaratpoliceapparatususeditssweepingpowerstorigorouslymonitoreveryprivatemoment,everypersonalconversationandeverydailymovementofMadhuri...Strictordersweregiventocloselyobserveandprofilethosewhomether.ShahwasparticularlyinterestedinknowingthemenshewasmeetingandwhethershewasaloneorwithsomemanwhenshecheckedintoahotelinAhmedabad.Herphonesandthoseofherfamilyandfriendsweretapped.Everybitof information was conveyed to Shah in real time, who in turnclaimedtoberelayingittohisSaheb.’AtfirsttheBJPseemedunsurehowtoreact,butthefollowingday

party president, Rajnath Singh, said the allegations were withoutfoundation.‘Wehadalreadysaidmuchearlierthatweapprehendthatthe dirty tricks wing of the Congress will make such baselessallegationsagainstModiastheelectionsdrawnear.’Singhwentontoreveal that ‘the girl’s father has also given a statement that he hadaskedModi,withwhomhehad family relations, for security forhisdaughter.Theheadofthegovernmentisresponsibleforensuringthesafety and security of the people. Modi was only performing hisdharma [duty].’TheBJPhadgot itsact togetherandhopedtoclosedown the story by getting the father to say he had been the one toinitiatethetrailingofhisdaughter,butSingh’sstatementalsoservedto confirm that the surveillance had indeed taken place and that the‘Saheb’wasModi.SnoopgatewasonesubjectonwhichModirefusedtoansweranyof

myquestions.Whateverhadreallygoneon,thefactisthatintermsofitsimpactonthecampaign,Snoopgatewasthedogthatdidn’tbark,orifitdidthennotveryloudly.Thecentralissuewasoneofprivacyandthatwaseffectivelyansweredoncethewoman’sfamilystatedthatthe

surveillancehadbeenundertakenat their request.Congressdid theirbest to exploit the story by fielding an array of senior femaleMPswhoinsistedtherewerestillmanyunansweredquestionsintheaffair,butwithlittlesuccess.They tried again in March 2014 when Congress spokeswoman

ShobhaOza targeted female voters, saying, ‘Iwould like to ask thewomen, the daughters, the wives and the mothers of this countrywhether they would like to have in their households a person likeModi,whoisknownforhisanti-womenattitude.Modi,whoisyettoanswer for Snoopgate.’ Then, just days before the end of thecampaign,thewomanatthecentreoftheallegationsfiledapetitiontothe Supreme Court saying she and her father were ‘thankful to theGujaratgovernment’ foraccepting‘apersonal request’ toensurehersafety.Anyfurtherinvestigation,shesaid,wouldinvadeherprivacy.Snoopgate,whichseveralofModi’sadvisershadbrieflyfearedcoulddohimsignificantdamage,haddonenothingofthekind.

CHAPTERELEVEN

‘SUPERSTAR’

At the height of the election battle, Narendra Modi found himselfstanding alongside one of the professional consultants who hadoffered his services for the duration of the campaign. ‘So what areyourEnglish-speakingmediasayingaboutmenow?’heasked.Modiwasdominatingtheheadlinesandsettingtheagenda,butstillhefeltsectionsofthemediawereouttounderminehimatanyopportunity.It’s a familiar trait in politicians. I found while working for TonyBlair,whenhewasathismostpopularandmostof themediawereeatingoutofhishands,aconstantfeelinginsideDowningStreetthattheywereouttogethim.OtherprimeministersIsawatclosehand,includingGordonBrownand JohnMajor,bothofwhomadmittedlyreceivedafarworsepress,weredrivenliterallytodistractionbywhatwas said and written about them.Modi, by contrast, was relativelysanguine.Hehadgrownusedtocriticismanddidn’tletitdistracthimforlong.Lookinginfromtheoutside,mostobserverscametotheconclusion

that Team Modi had very little to complain about in the way thecampaignwasbeingcovered.SandeepBhushan,afellowattheJamiaMillia Islamia university centre for culture, media and governance,observedthat,‘Intherun-uptothegeneralelection,itappearedasifevery TV channel was pushing Modi. The coverage wasunprecedented.Hewasomnipresent. Itwassimilar toanadbarrage.Peoplewereyearningforbetter,corruption-freegovernanceandModiwasprojectedasahuge,happeningsymbolofchange.Itwascertainlya watershed moment for the Indian news media.’ For his part, theBJP’sofficialspokesman,PrakashJavadekar,hadnocomplaints.HadModi been reported fairly, I asked him? ‘Absolutely,’ he replied,

althoughhefeltsomeofthepaperswerebeingpositivealmostinspiteof themselves. ‘Newspapers who were opposed to what Modi wassaying, still they could not shun him. Because he was speakingsomethingnew.Newquotablequotes.Heusedtogiveatleasttwentyquotable quotes a day.As a journalist how can you stall that? So Ihave no complaint about the coverage given by the media.’ RahulKanwal,who covered the election forHeadlines Today, agreed thatModiconstantlygavejournalistswhattheywantedmost:stories.‘Heisbrilliantcopy.He’sthebestcopyIndiahaseverhad.’Almosteverythinghedidmadenews:theteastalls,theholograms,

themammothopen-airrallies.ForKanwal,asatelevisionjournalist,Modi was a dream. ‘When he is speaking, he is the director, theproducer,theeditor,thecopywriter,theactor,thesuperstar,allinthesameperson.Becausewhenhe is speaking you see,whenhewantsthecrowd to respond towhathe issaying,he turns themic towardsthem.Soheisverytheatrical,veryBollywoodinthatsense.Hehasabetter sense of occasion, of timing, of television, of cameras, ofproduction thanvirtuallyanybodyelse.He issmarterwhen itcomestoproductionthanmostTVproducers.’Andifthatincludesspeakingover the heads of the journalists, through social media or at publicrallies,‘It’snotsomethingthatyoulike,butwhatoptiondoyouhave?He functions in theway thathedoes.Youcan’t change it.Youcanclamourasmuchasyouwant,youcancribasmuchasyouwant,he’snotgoingtochange.’AatishSrivastava,whocoveredtheBJPfortheNewsXchannel,concurred.‘Youcan’tignoreitwhentherearesevenoreighthundredthousandpeoplecomingoutoftheirhousestolistento Narendra Modi. You can’t keep your eyes shut on that. EvensupposeIamaheavycriticofNarendraModi, thatIdon’t likehim,buthowmuchcanIaffordtodislikehim?IhavetogoandreportonhimandwhatwillIreport?Ihavetoreportsomethingpositive,eachandeverystatementofNarendraModihashundredsof thousandsofpeopleclapping it.Youcan’tkeepyoureyesandearsshuton it.Sosuddenly themedia,whichwasdeadagainsthim, realised thathe is

goingtobetheprimeministerof thecountry.’Andsomejournalistswerepreparedtoadmitthattherewereotherconstraintsonwhattheycouldwrite.‘Weareallcorporate-runmediahousesnow.Thereisnoonewhoisdoingitasasocialservice,’saidone.It is a view that strikes a chord with Professor Zoya Hasan from

JawaharlalNehruUniversity.‘Ithinkmediaandmoneyplayedaveryimportant role, an exceptionally important role in this election. It iscertainly about ownership because ours is a corporate-controlledmedia. Some of the biggest newspapers and television channels areowned by the corporate sector. And Modi has been assiduouslycourting the corporate sector.’Hismessagewasn’t just attractive towealthy businesspeople, in her view, but to many journaliststhemselves. ‘Most of the journalists are verymiddle class or uppercaste.So,asfarasthemediaisconcerned,Ithinkitfollowsamiddle-classagenda,andthemiddleclassinIndiahasturnedtotheright,oratleastthecentre-right.’Inmyexperience,someofthemostleft-wingjournalistscomefrom

middle-orupper-middle-classbackgroundsbut, inanyevent,Modi’smedia strategy was not based on appealing to the self-interest ofjournalists as individuals. He had decided to dominate the newsheadlines from day one and, barring a few unhelpful controversies,thatisexactlywhathedid.Andhediditbymakingnews.Asforthecharge of avoiding cross-examination by journalists and going overtheheadsofthemedia,PrakashJavadekarwasunapologetic.‘Hewasnotspeakingovertheirheads.Maybesomejournalistswantedtoaskquestionsjusttodiverttheissue,buthewastalkingfromhishearttothepeople.Thatwasnews in itself.And ineveryspeech therewerenewideas,newslogans,newarticulations,soforthejournalistsitwasafeast.’Javadekar ran a relatively conventional press office operationwith

the help of his head ofmedia, Shrikant Sharma. Everybody was attheirdesksby6.30inthemorningtoreadthenewspapersandmonitorthemain national radio and television broadcasts between 7.00 a.m.

and11.00a.m.Atnineo’clocktherewouldbeateleconferencewiththemainpoliticalleaders,likeArunJaitleyandRajnathSingh.Theywould discuss the main issues that were running in the media anddecidehowthepartyshouldrespond.At11.00somebody,usuallyoneofthepoliticians,wouldmakeastatementinfrontofthecamerasonbehalfof thepartyandperhapstakeoneor twoquestions.Themainnews conferencewould be at 3.00 p.m.,when journalists could askwhatever they liked.The teamwould thenmeetagain toassesshowtheirstorieswererunninginthemediaandtoansweranylast-minutequestions fromtheBJPspokespeoplewhowouldrepresent thepartyontheeveningdiscussionshows.TheseprogrammestookupalotoftimeandeffortanditwaspartofJavadekar’sjobtomakesureallthespokespeoplearoundthecountryknewwhattosay–‘thelinetotake’.Hewouldholda teleconferencecall,usingaudiobridge technology,everyafternoon.‘Therearenearlytwohundredstate-levelspokesmenand panellists who go on the various TV shows. In every Indianlanguagenow,ineachstate,thereareatleasttennewschannels,outofwhich at least five do live debates in the evening. So, it’s a bigthing.’Itwas also, in reality, a sideshow.Themain event, day after day,

wasModi,anditwasModiwhomallthechannelexecutiveswantedto see on their screens. The Holy Grail was an exclusive interviewwiththemanhimself,andtheywereveryfewandfarbetween.ModiwaswaryofthebigTVinterviewsbecausehebelieved,quite

rightly, that hewould almost certainly be asked about the riots andtherewasariskthatwhateverhesaidinreplycouldovershadowthepositive message he wanted to put across. For that reason it wasdecided not to do any studio interviews at all at the start of thecampaign. Prakash Javadekar explained the logic. ‘If you start withinterviewsrightfromthefirstdaythenunnecessarycontroversieswillberaisedandtheheadlinesbecomedifferent.’Bettertowaitacoupleofmonths, bywhich time the themes thatModiwants to talk abouthavebeenwidelydiscussedandtheagendahasbeenset.‘Afterthings

were established in the minds of people, then we chose to giveinterviews.’Everyjournalistpreparingforamajorpoliticalinterviewhopesthat

itwillmake a splash.Occasionally thepoliticianwill come into thestudiowithabigpieceofnewsthattheyhavedecidedtobreakinaninterviewwithyou, inwhichcaseyourworkhasbeendoneforyou,but that is a very rareoccurrence. I interviewedeveryBritishprimeminister from James Callaghan to Gordon Brown, over a periodcoveringmore than thirty years, andmany other leading politicianstoo.Theyhadusuallydecidedwhattheywantedtosayinadvanceandstucktoitrigidly.Itriedtotemptthemintomakingnews,butifthatfailed I would goad them or even provoke them, in the hope ofproducing a dramatic and newsworthy reaction. A flash of anger isalways good. A walkout guarantees that your interview will getnoticed.Ithappenedtomeonlyoncewhen,asayoungreporterinNorthern

Ireland,Iinterviewedthefierypreacher-cum-politician,theReverendIanPaisley.Itwasbeingpre-recordedandwhenhedidn’tlikemylineof questioning, he ripped off his microphone and stormed out in afury, slamming thedoorbehindhim.Somebodymusthave toldhimthatwasn’tsuchasmartthingtodoandafewminuteslaterhecamebackinandsuggestedIshouldputthequestiontohimagain.Bythistime, of course, he had an answer ready. That evening I decided totransmit the whole thing, walkout and all, and as soon as it wasbroadcasthewasstraightonthephonethreateningnevertospeaktomeagainandtoboycotttheprogrammeIworkedfor.Hedidn’tcarryout either threat, andwas completely charming the next time I sawhim,which taughtme an early lesson about standing up to politicalbullies.Butwhen itbecamemy turn toadvisepoliticiansonhowtoconduct interviews, my two pieces of wisdom were: never say ‘nocomment’andneverwalkout.To this day, one of the most talked-about interviews on Indian

television took place in October 2007. It was the occasion when

NarendraModiwalkedoutofaninterviewwithKaranThaparfortheCNN-IBNshow,Devil’sAdvocate.ThaparsuggestedtoModithathehadan‘imageproblem’asaresultof theriots.Hepressedthepointfirmlybutpolitely:Thapar: Why can’t you say that you regret the killings thathappened? Why can’t you say maybe the government shouldhavedonemoretoprotectMuslims?

Modi:WhatIhadtosayIhavesaidatthattime,andyoucanfindoutmystatements.

Thapar:Justsayitagain.Modi:Notnecessary.Ihavetotalkaboutin2007.Everythingyouwanttotalkabout.

Thapar:Butbynotsayingitagain,bynotlettingpeoplehearthemessage repeatedly, you are allowing an image contrary to theinterestofGujarattocontinue.It’sinyourhandstochangeit.

Modi: (Takesthemicrophoneoff.)I’llhavetorest.Ineedsomewater.

At that Modi walked away, saying, ‘I can’t do this interview.’ OnbehalfoftheBJP,Javedakartoldthepresstheprogrammehadgivenassurances that the questionswould be about current issues and notthe riots. Thapar, who had a reputation as a particularly combativeinterviewer, said no conditions had been set in advance. AlthoughModi promised their friendship would be unaffected, it was anencounterheneverforgot.Ifhewasgoingtomakeheadlinesin2014,andhemostassuredlywas,thentheyweregoingtobetheheadlineshewanted.Thoroughpreparationisnotsomethingreservedfortheinterviewer

aheadofabigtelevisedencounter.Theinterviewee,too,mustbewellbriefed, confident and prepared for the likely direction of thequestioning.And,aswithmostthingsinlife,experiencehelps.Modiknew that, but it seemed thatRahulGandhididnot.Hemet

theTimesNoweditorinchief,ArnabGoswami,on27January,fortheprogrammeFranklySpeaking.Itwasthefirstinterviewofitskindhehadeverdone,anditwentsobadlythatitmightevenhavebeenbetterif he had walked out. The first question was about why he wasn’tputtinghimself forward as theCongressParty’s candidate forprimeminister.Hedodged it andgot boggeddown in constitutional detailandhistory.Butitwaswhenhewasaskedabouttheanti-Sikhriotingthatfollowedtheassassinationofhisgrandmother,IndiraGandhi,byherSikhbodyguardsin1984thatheshowedhisvulnerability.Therehad been over eight thousand deaths, a casualty rate that was farhigher than in Gujarat in 2002. The Congress Party was widelyaccusedofcomplicityintherevengeattacks,butRahulfeltunabletoeitheracceptanyresponsibilityonbehalfofhispartyortoapologise.Rahulspokemovinglyaboutthemurderofbothhisgrandmotherandhis father, Rajiv, but the interview soon degenerated into a lengthyeffortbyhimtoavoidansweringalmostallthequestionsthatwereputtohim.OneCongressPartymediamanagersaidafterwardsthattheyhadhopeditwouldboostRahul’simagetoseehimbeingquizzedbyatoughinterviewer.Theideawasthatit‘wouldestablishRahulasapoliticianwhowasopentopublicscrutiny,unlikeModiwhowalkedoutofinterviews.Iguesswejustdidn’tknowhowbadlyRahulwouldenduplooking.’Modi, meanwhile, was sticking to his political strategy of using

attacksontherecordofCongressingovernmentandtheinexperienceofitsyoungpretendertogenerateademandforstrongleadershipthatonlyhecouldfill. Ithadbeendecided thatmostof thenewsheandtheotherBJPspokespeoplewouldtry tomakeshouldbebasedona‘charge sheet’ against the government.Modiwas quite happy to letthemedia report on his rallies and the content of his speeches. Fornow,hepreferredtoavoidgivinginterviewsandifhedidtheywereusuallywhilehewasoutandabout,neverinthestudio,andgenerallyconcentratedonlocalissues.Then,inFebruary,hetookacalculatedrisk.‘IdecidedthatIwould

notbeavailabletothemedia,’hetoldme.‘Ididthisintentionallytocreateavacuumandgetattentionbecauseofthevacuum.’Modiusedthe time to busy himself with practicalities, like overseeing theselection of candidates. ‘Thus the month of February was nointerviews andmostly silence.My supporterswere anxious andmydetractorswerehappy,littlerealisingthatthiswasmystrategicintentaswe readied for the last fewdaysbeforepollingbegan.’Andwithpolling staggeredacross theninedifferentphases,whenheemergedfromhisself-imposedmediapurdahhediditwithoneeyefirmlyonthe election calendar. ‘The TV interviews were carefully plannedbefore any election in a state and I was specifically doing theinterviews focused on where the elections were going to be held.Whatthisdidwastoallowmetocustomisemymessageallthetimeandnottospillallthebeansatonceandkeepthecuriosityofpeoplealive in terms of what would I say next. I went full-fledged to thenationalmediaonly towards theend, first to theHindichannelsandthentotheEnglish.’Modi finally appeared on screen in a national television studio on

Saturday12April,bywhich time the first tworoundsofvotinghadalready happened. He chose to grant the exclusive to the popularHindi-languageshowAapkiAdalat(‘YourCourt’).Itwaspresentedbytheeditor inchiefof IndiaTV,RajatSharma,afriendofModi’sfor over forty years. The studiowas set up as usual in a courtroomformat, with the interviewee ‘in the dock’ in the centre and theaudiencesurroundinghimatadistance.Theprogrammereceivedthehighest TV ratings in India’s history. Official monitoring figuresshowed that74%ofnewsviewers in the country tuned in towatch.Despite a hectic day on the campaign trail, Modi was in sparklingform,buoyedupby theenthusiastic reactionof the studioaudience,whostartedchantinghisnameandapplaudingassoonasheappeared.Itwentonforoveranhour,andwhileitwasn’texactlyagrilling,andModiwasclearlyincontrolofwhathewantedtosay,nobodycouldclaimthatthedifficultissueshadn’tbeenraised.Hewasaskedabout

the Gujarat riots, the ban on him entering the United States, hisattitudetowardsMuslims,thechargethathisimagewasallspinanddidn’talwaysfitthefacts,andmuchelsebesides.The day after it was broadcast, the success of the interview was

marred by the resignation of India TV’s editorial director, QamarWaheedNaqvi.Itwasrumouredthathehadgonebecausehethoughttheshowhadbeen‘fixed’.Helaterconfirmedthat,inhisview,‘TheentireprogrammewaspartoftheModipropagandamachine.Nohardquestions were asked and the audience was full of Modi bhakts[devotees]whowereonlytheretocheerforhim.’IndiaTVputoutastatement saying theywere surprised at the reasons being circulatedon socialmedia forNaqvi’s resignation. ‘Such reasons are baseless,andwecondemntheeffortbeingmadetouseitforpoliticalgains,’itsaid. The interview was shown again many times during theremainder of the campaign, with consistently high viewing figuressuggestingthattherowhaddonelittledamage.For the nextmonthModi did interview after interview.Television

journalists would be invited to Gandhinagar, where Modi wouldreturnaftermanylonghoursoftravellingandspeakingatuptothreeralliesaday.Hisstaminawasextraordinaryandhisstaffoftennotedthatthereportersseemedmoretiredthanhewas.Most,butnotall,ofthenetworksweregrantedinterviews,althoughtheEnglish-speakingchannelswere,ashehad intended, leftuntil last.Theeditor-in-chiefofTimesNow,ArnabGoswami,gothisinterviewonlyonMay8,bywhich time eight of the nine phases of voting had already beencompleted.TheonechannelthatwasexcludedaltogetherwasNDTV,whereRajdeepSardesaiworkedbeforemovingtoCNN-IBNin2005.Hewrote that ‘Modi, it seems, still hadn’t forgiven or forgotten thereportingdoneby theNDTVchannels (yours truly included)duringthe Gujarat riots and its aftermath.’ Modi’s dislike of NDTV wascommonknowledgeinjournalisticcirclesandhewaswellknownfornever forgetting when a media organisation or individual journalisthad, inhisview, lethimdown.When I askedoneofhis advisers if

Modi really disliked NDTV so much, the reply was simply, ‘Thefeelingwasmutual.’OveratHeadlinesToday,partoftheIndiaTodaygroup,RahulKanwaltoldme,‘Therearepeoplehebelievesareonhisside.He likes those people. His system gives access to them. Thenthere is awhole bunch of journalistswho he had a falling outwithduringthe2002riots.Themhedoesn’tlike,themhecan’tstand.’To favoured journalists, Modi was surprisingly accessible on the

telephoneduringthecampaignalthough,givenhisthirstforpoliticalintelligenceandfeedback,itwasmoreoftentoseekinformationthantoimpartit.Hewouldringlocaljournalistsbeforeabigrallytogetasenseof themood in theareaand then sometimesafterwards to seehow his speech had gone down. Aatish Srivastava at NewsX saidModiwas‘veryinquisitivetoknowwhatthemediaisthinkingabouthim,abouthiscampaign,aboutthewordswhichheuses,theamountof aggression he shows on screen.’ But when it came to reportersasking him questions, ‘He does not really want to open up withjournalists.Hedoeshavegoodfriendsinthemedia,wherepeopledovisit him but he does not open up.’ Again, according to RahulKanwal,itdependedwhoyouwere.‘Hehasgotverystronglikesanddislikes.Ifhetrustsyouhewouldbeveryfrankandveryopen.Ifhedoesn’ttrustyou,hewouldnotcomeonthephoneatall.It’sliketheGreatWallofChina,youcankeepbangingyourheadagainstit.’HeadlinesTodaywasclearlyoneofthosethathewasusuallyhappy

to talk to. ‘When he is campaigning, he constantlywants feedback.So, for example, I would speak to him virtually every week or tendaysduringthecampaign.Oncehegetsoverwithworkatnight,sayat10.30or11.00, thenpeople cancall himandchatwithhim.Youcalluptheswitchboardnumberandyoutell themwhoit isandtheypatch you through and then he speaks to you for a very long time.Nowheisprimeminister,ofcourse,hespeaksforfarshorterperiods,butearlierhewouldspeakforoneandahalfhours,ortwohours.’Didthat, Iaskedhim, lead toanunhealthilycosyrelationshipand to theriskofself-censorshipbyjournalistswhowantedtostay inhisgood

books?‘Ithinkeachpersondoeswhathewantshimself.Therecanbenoruleonthat.Thewaywetryanddoitisthatwedon’tletaccessorlackofitimpactourjournalism.’Most political journalists have to balance their need for good

sources,whowill trust themenough to impart information,with theriskofgettingtoocloseandsocompromisingtheirintegrity.Thereisanother form of journalism, however,where the transaction ismorestraightforward, although just as hard to prove. It is knownas ‘paidnews’andresults instoriesappearing in themedia thatappear tobeindependentbutwhichhave,infact,beenpaidfor.Itisnotillegal,butthe Election Commission thinks it should be outlawed. The formerchief election commissioner, S. Y. Quraishi, has written that, ‘Inrecentyears,corruptionwithintheIndianmediahasgonefarbeyondthe corruption of individual journalists and specific mediaorganisations. From “planting” information and views in lieu offavours received in cash or kind, to more institutionalised andorganised forms of corruption, wherein newspapers and televisionchannelsreceivefundsforpublishingorbroadcastinginformation.’Itwas nothing new, and had been going on for yearswith stories

promoting the interests of corporations, film producers, actors, andanybody else with something to sell. But, said Mr Quraishi, ‘thephenomenon of “paid news” acquired a new and more perniciousdimensionbyenteringthesphereofpolitical“news”or“reporting”oncandidates contestingelectionsover the last fewyears.’Without thepower to intervene, theECand thePressCouncilof Indiahadbeenabletocollectonlycircumstantialevidence.Allthemainpartiesweresuspected of being involved, although because of the overwhelmingamount of coverage sympathetic to the BJP, and its perceivedcloseness to some big corporate interests, Modi’s party wasscrutinisedmorecloselythanmost.Giventhescaleandvarietyofthemedia across the country and the sheer volume of stories thatweregeneratedduringthecampaignbyjournalistsgoingabouttheirjobstothebestoftheirabilities,itseemshighlyunlikelythatpaidnewshad

any significant impact on the results. And overall, Mr Quraishiconcluded that ‘the Indian media has been discharging itsresponsibilitywithspectaculareffect.’TheAmericanwriterH.L.Menckenfamouslysaidthat,‘journalist

istopoliticianasdogistolamppost.’InIndiathereisasayingthatahorse and grass can never be friends, which amounts to much thesame thing.Modimight have stopped feeding some journalistswhowrote or said things he didn’t like, but he usuallymellowed after awhileandgavethemanotherchance.Attheendoftheday,heneededthem asmuch as they needed him. The doyen of socialmedia alsowantedtobetakenseriouslyasapoliticianofrealsubstancewithanambitiouspolicyagenda,andthereis,afterall,onlysomuchyoucansayina140-charactertweet.Politicsisn’tallaboutsoundbitesandattimes,thankfully,someseriousanalysisiscalledfor.Andawayfromthestudiolightstherewasadifferentkindofelectiongoingon–lessglamorous, perhaps, but no less important ifModiwas tomake thetransitionfromdeliveringgoodcopytodeliveringonhispromises.

INDIANPOLITICS:AWHO’SWHO

Adani,Gautam: b. 1962.Self-madebusiness tycoon, chairman andfounder of the Adani Group. Personal wealth estimated to be $7.1billionasofSeptember2014,accordingtoForbes.HailsfromModi’snativeGujaratstateandisknowntobeveryclosetothePM.

Advani,L.K.:b.1927.Deputyprimeminister2002–04;ministerofhome affairs 1998–2004. Founder member of the BJP. An earlymentorofNarendraModi.Hewastheunsuccessfulprimeministerialcandidate for the BJP in the 2009 election and resisted Modi’sselectionfortherolein2014.

Aiyar, Mani Shankar: b. 1941. Former diplomat and currently aseniorpoliticianintheCongressParty.Heheldvariouscabinetpostsduring the Congress-led UPA government of 2004–9 under primeministerDrManmohanSingh.

Ambani, Mukesh: b. 1957. Chairman of Reliance Industries withmany business ventures in the petrochemicals, manufacturing andwireless sectors. The richest person in India for eight years runningaccording to Forbes, with a net worth of $19.9 billion. A native ofGujaratandoneoftheindustrialistsclosetoModi.

Banerjee,Mamta:b.1955.ElectedchiefministerofWestBengalin2011.In1997shedisassociatedherselffromtheCongressPartyandformed theAll IndiaTrinamoolCongress,alsoknownasTMC.Theparty won a landslide victory in the 2011 legislative assemblyelectionsinWestBengal.

Dikshit,Sheila:b.1938.ChiefministerofDelhifrom1998to2013.Amember of theCongress Party.Dikshit led theCongress to threeconsecutive electoral victories in Delhi. She was defeated in theDecember 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections and was

succeededbyAamAadmiPartyleaderArvindKejriwal.

Gandhi, Indira: b. 1917; d. 1984. The second longest-serving, andtheonlyfemale,primeministerofIndia.Sheheldthepostfrom1966to1977andfrom1980untilherassassinationbyherSikhbodyguardsin1984.DaughterofJawaharlalNehru,motherofRajivGandhiandgrandmotherofRahulGandhi.Shepresidedoverastateofemergencyfrom1975to1977,duringwhichsheruledbydecree.

Gandhi,MohandasKaramchand (‘Mahatma’): b. 1869; d. 1948.One of the paramount leaders of the independence movement inBritish-ruledIndia.Heinspirednon-violentmovementsforcivilrightsandfreedomacrosstheworld.Aswellasdemandingself-rule,Gandhilednationwidecampaignstoreducepoverty,expandwomen’srights,supportreligiousandethnicunderstandingandendthediscriminationagainst ‘untouchables’.No relation to theNehru-Gandhi family.Hewasassassinatedin1948byNathuramGodse.

Gandhi,Priyanka:b.1972.IndianpoliticiananddaughterofthelateRajivGandhi and hiswife, Sonia. Sometimes spoken of as a futureCongressPartyleader,shewasactiveinthe2014campaigninsupportofherbrother,Rahul,andhermother.

Gandhi,Rahul:b.1970.Vicepresidentof theCongressPartysinceJanuary2013.Enteredpolitics in the2004general electionwhenhewonhisfather’sformerconstituencyofAmethiinUttarPradesh.Heis the eldest of the two children of Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi, thegrandson of Indira Gandhi and the great-grandson of JawaharlalNehru. He was widely perceived to be the most likely new PM ifCongress had won the 2014 election, although the party did notformallyannouncewhowouldgetthepost.

Gandhi, Rajiv: b. 1944; d. 1991. Seventh primeminister of India,servingfrom1984–89.Hetookofficeafterthe1984assassinationofhis mother, Indira Gandhi, when he became the youngest PM inIndia’s history. He was leader of the Congress Party until his

assassinationin1991byaTamilsuicidebomber.

Gandhi, Sonia: b. 1946. Italian-born politician, who becamepresidentoftheCongressPartyin1998.MPforRaeBareli.Leaderofthe opposition 1998–2004. She decided not to assume the primeministership when a Congress-led coalition won the 2004 election,preferring to support Dr Manmohan Singh. She is the widow offormerprimeministerRajivGandhi,andhastwochildren,RahulandPriyanka.

Godse,Nathuram: b.1910;d.1949.AssassinofMahatmaGandhi,whoheshot in thechest three timesatpoint-blank range inJanuary1948.HewasanextremeHindunationalistandhadbeenamemberoftheRashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh.HelefttheRSSintheearly1940sto form a more militant organisation, the Hindu Rashtra Dal.SentencedtodeathinNovember1949andhangedaweeklater.

Goyal, Piyush: b. 1964. Appointed minister of power and energy,May2014.WastreasureroftheBJPduringtheelectioncampaignandchaired the influential Election Information Campaign Committee,overseeing advertising and social media. A member of the upperhouseofparliament.

Hazare,Anna:b.1937.Aprominentanti-corruptioncampaigner.HewasaformersoldierintheIndianarmywhobecameasocialactivistand led movements to promote rural development, increasegovernment transparencyand investigateandpunishwrong-doing inpubliclife.

Irani, Smriti: b. 1976. BJP politician and formermodel, televisionactress and producer. Appointed minister of human resourcedevelopment inMay 2014. She is amember of the upper house ofparliament and unsuccessfully contested the Amethi lower houseconstituencyagainstRahulGandhiinthe2014election.

Jaitley,Arun:b.1952.ClosesupporterofNarendraModi.Appointed

ministeroffinanceandministerofdefenceinMay2014.Hewasalsoa successful Supreme Court lawyer. Member of the BJP nationalexecutive since 1991. Former minister in the government of AtalBihariVajpayee.Memberoftheupperhouseofparliament.HestoodforelectiontothelowerhousefromtheAmritsarconstituencyin2014butlost.

Kejriwal,Arvind:b.1968.Leaderof theAamAadmiParty(AAP).Former civil servant turned social activistwhowas an ally ofAnnaHazare in the anti-corruptionmovement.Kejriwal founded theAAPin 2011 and briefly served as chief minister of Delhi from 28December 2013 to 14 February 2014. Unsuccessfully contested theconstituencyofVaranasiagainstNarendraModiinthe2014election.BecameDelhi chiefminister again in February 2015 after theAAPwonaspectacularvictoryintheAssemblypolls.

Kumar, Nitish: b. 1951. Chief minister of the state of Bihar from2005to2014.Previously,hewasaminister in thenationalcoalitiongovernmentledbyAtalBihariVajpayeeoftheBJP.HebelongstotheJanataDal (United)Party.Heopposed the appointmentofNarendraModiastheBJP’sprimeministerialcandidateandinJune2013brokethe17-year-oldalliancebetweenhispartyandtheBJP.

Madhav, Ram: b. 1965. Appointed vice president and generalsecretaryoftheBJPin2014.PreviouslyhewasoneoftheleadersoftheRSSandtheirofficialspokesperson.Duringthe2014campaignhewasinchargeofelectionmanagementfortheRSS.

Mayawati: b. 1956. Mayawati Kumari, always known by her firstnameonly,servedfourtermsaschiefministerofUttarPradesh(UP)between 1995 and 2012. She is leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP). Her party did very badly in the 2014 election, losing all itsseats.

Modi, Narendra: b. 1950. Elected primeminister of India inMay2014. Leader of the BJP and the first politician from outside the

Congress Party towin an overallmajority in parliament.ModiwaschiefministerofGujaratfrom2001to2014,winningthreesuccessiveelectionvictories.HewasrefusedavisatoentertheUnitedStatesin2005asaresultoftheGujaratriotsof2002,inwhichoverathousandpeopledied.Modiadoptedpoliciesdesignedtoboostthedevelopmentof Gujarat and established an enthusiastic personal following thatenabledhimtosecurehisparty’scandidatureforprimeministerinthe2014elections.

Nehru,Jawaharlal:b.1889;d.1964.Primeminister1947–64.India’sfirst PM after independence from Britain. Prominent leader of theIndian National Congress since the 1920s. Established India as aparliamentary democracy and a republic. Father of Indira Gandhi,great-grandfatherofRahulGandhi.

Patel,Keshubhai:b.1928.Chiefministerof the stateofGujarat in1995 and 1998–2001. Forced to stand down in 2001 when he wasreplaced byNarendraModi. He joined the RSS in 1945 andwas afoundermemberoftheBJPinthe1980s.Heleftthepartyin2012andformedtheGujaratParivartanParty.

Patel,SardarVallabhbhai:b.1875;d.1950.AleaderoftheIndianNationalCongressandoneofthefoundingfathersoftheRepublicofIndia.Heorganisednon-violentcivildisobediencemovementsagainstthe British Raj. After independence he served as deputy primeministerfrom1947to1950andministerofhomeaffairs1948–50.Heplayedacrucialroleinunitingthemanyregionsandprincipalitiesofthe country and became known as the Iron Man of India. A hugestatue in his honour is under construction in his native state ofGujarat.

Ramdev,Baba:b.1965.Aspiritualleaderandyogapractitionerwitha big public following as a result of hisTV appearances.Hewas asupporter of the anti-corruption movement and later publiclysupportedNarendraModi’scampaigntobecomeprimeminister.

Ravishankar,SriSri:b.1956.SpiritualleaderandfounderoftheArtofLivingFoundation,whichaimstorelieveindividualstress,societalproblems and violence. His organisation conducted a ‘happinesssurvey’ during the 2014 elections that was seen to be supportingNarendraModi’scampaign.

Shah,Amit: b. 1964.Appointed president of theBJP in July 2014.CloseassociateofNarendraModi.FormerhomeministerofGujarat.In2010hewasarrestedandaccusedofinvolvementinthemurderoftwosuspects.HewasbannedfromGujaratandallowedtoreturnonlyin 2012. The charges were dismissed in 2014. In charge ofcampaigning inUttarPradesh in thegeneralelection,where theBJPwonseventy-threeoutofeightyseats.

Shourie,Arun:b.1941.Journalist,authorandformerBJPminister.He was an economist with the World Bank, a consultant to thePlanningCommissionofIndiaandeditorofboththeIndianExpressandtheTimesofIndia.Heservedasministerfortelecommunicationsandinformationtechnologyfrom2002–04.

Singh,Manmohan:b.1932.PrimeministerofIndiafrom2004–14asheadofacoalitionledbytheCongressParty.HewasthefirstSikhtohold the office. In 2009 he became the first prime minister sinceJawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full five-yearterm. A former economist, he was highly praised for his efforts toliberalisetheeconomybuthisreputationlaterbecametarnishedbyaseriesofcorruptionscandalsinvolvinghisministers.

Singh,Rajnath: b. 1951.Appointed homeminister,May 2014.Hewas chief minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2000–02 and agricultureminister in the national government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee from2003-04. President of the BJP 2005–09 and 2013–14. MP forLucknowandastrongsupporterofNarendraModi.

Swaraj, Sushma: b. 1952. Appointed minister of external affairs,May 2014. Former chief minister of Delhi. She was broadcasting

ministerforashortperiodinthegovernmentofAtalBihariVajpayee.Was an ally ofL.K.Advani and resisted the selection ofNarendraModiasprimeministerialcandidatebutwaspersuadedtochangehermind.

Tata,Ratan:b.1937.TheheadoftheTataSonsconglomeratewithwide business andmanufacturing interests.He has an estimated networth of over $1 billion.He stepped down as the chairman ofTataGroup in December 2012 but continued as the chairman of thegroup’scharitabletrusts.

Tata, Sir Ratan: b. 1871; d. 1918. One of the leading Indianindustrialists at the beginning of the twentieth century. He gavegenerous financialbacking toMohandasGandhi tosupporthisearlycampaigningonbehalfoftheIndiancommunityinSouthAfrica.HewasthegrandfatherofRatanTata.

Vajpayee,AtalBihari:b.1924.Primeminister1996(thirteendays)and 1998–2004. The first PM from outside the Congress Party toserveafullfive-yearterm.SeentobefromthemoremoderatewingoftheBJP.HeinitiallysoughttheresignationofNarendraModiaftertheGujarat riotsbut later relented, adecisionhe reportedlycame toregret.

Vivekananda, Swami: b. 1863; d. 1902. Hindu monk and chiefdisciple of the nineteenth-century saint Ramakrishna. He is oftenquoted by Narendra Modi who regards him as one of the majorinfluences on his life and thinking. He was a key figure in theintroduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and yoga to thewestern world and is credited with raising inter-faith awareness,bringingHinduismto thestatusofamajorworldreligionduringthelatenineteenthcentury.

Yogi Adityanath, Mahant: b.1972. BJP MP for Gorakhpur in thestateofUttarPradesh.Hebecametheheadpriestof theGorakhnathMutt, aHindu temple inhis constituency, inSeptember2014.He is

knownforhisoutspokennationalistviewsandhasbeencriticisedformakingallegedhatespeechesagainstotherreligiouscommunities.

ABBREVIATIONS

AAP:AamAadmiParty(‘CommonMan’sParty’),foundedin2012byArvindKejriwal. It formed a short-lived administration inDelhiafter the 2013 state legislative elections but performed badly in thegeneralelection,securing just fourseats.Wonasweepingvictory intheDelhiAssembly elections in February 2015winning sixty-sevenoutofseventyseats.

AICC:AllIndiaCongressCommittee.ThegoverningbodyoftheAllIndiaCongressParty,orCongressforshort,aleft-of-centrepartythatdominated Indian politics under the leadership of theNehru-Gandhifamily for most of the time since Independence. The party camesecondinthegeneralelectionbutwonjustforty-fourseats.

ASSOCHAM:TheAssociatedChambersofCommerceandIndustryofIndia.

BJP: Bharatiya Janata Party (‘Indian People’s Party’), founded in1980.Winner of the 2014 general election.Under the leadership ofNarendra Modi, the party secured 282 seats, giving it an overallmajority in parliament. The BJP is a right-wing party with closeideologicalandorganisationallinkstotheHindunationalistRashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh(RSS).

BKS:BharityaKisanSangh(‘IndianFarmersUnion’).

BMS:BharityaMazdoorSangh(‘IndianLabourersUnion’).

BRICS: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Anassociationofthesefivemajoremergingnationaleconomies.

BSP: BahujanSamajParty (‘MajorityPeople’sParty’).Founded in1984, the BSP has its main base in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Its

leader, Mayawati, served four terms as the state’s chief minister.Although it came third in the share of the votes cast in the 2014electionitwonnoseatsinparliament.

CAG: CitizensForAccountableGovernance.AlsoComptrollerandAuditorGeneral.

CBI:CentralBureauOfInvestigation.

CII:TheConfederationofIndianIndustry.

DMK: DravidaMunnetra Kazhagam, a party based in the southernstatesofTamilNaduandPuducherry.Thepartydidwellinthe2004elections, winning 40 seats. They were awarded seven ministerialposts in the Congress-led UPA coalition government. In 2014 theyfailedtowinanyparliamentaryseats.

EC:ElectionCommission.

EICC:ElectionInformationCampaignCommittee.OneofthemainBJPcommitteesintherun-uptothegeneralelection.

HRD: Human Resource and Development. A governmentdepartment.

JDU: JanataDal (United), founded in 2003. A centre-left politicalpartybased inBihar and Jharkhand.Previously an important allyoftheBJP,theJDUlefttheallianceinJune2013toprotestagainsttheelevationofNarendraModi.Itwontwoseatsinthegeneralelection.

NCC: National Cadet Corps. Founded in 1948, it is a state fundedorganisation designed to encourage young people to become ableleaders and useful citizens.Membership is voluntary andwhile it istied to the armed services, there is no obligation to go on activemilitaryservice.

NDA:NationalDemocraticAlliance.TheelectoralallianceledbytheBJP.Ithastwenty-ninemembers.Twelveofthem,includingtheBJP,won seats at the 2014 general election, giving them a total of 336

seats.

NRI:Non-ResidentIndians.CitizensofIndiawhoarelivingabroad.

OBC: OtherBackwardClasses.TheMandalCommission,setup in1979, grouped together many lower castes as OBCs which itcalculatedascomprising52%of thepopulation,although this figureisdisputed.Itdoesnotincludethelowestcastes,includingDalits.Byvirtueofhisbirth,NarendraModiisanOBC.

RSS: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (‘National VolunteerOrganization’).Foundedin1925,itisaHindunationalistorganisationwhosemembersfocusoncharitable,educationalandvolunteerwork.TheRSS,oftenreferredtoastheSangh,helpedfoundtheBJPin1980andmanyofitsleadersareactivelyinvolvedinBJPpolitics.

SIT: Special Investigation Team. A team set up by the SupremeCourt to inquire into specific allegations, including those againstNarendraModiaftertheGujaratriotsof2002.

SP: Samajwadi Party (‘Socialist Party’) founded in 1992.Based inthe state of Uttar Pradesh where it won a landslide victory in thelegislativeassemblyelectionsof2012.Thepartywonfiveseatsinthegeneralelection.

UP: Uttar Pradesh. India’s most highly populated and electorallysignificantstate.

UPA: United Progressive Alliance. The name of the coalition ofparties,ledbytheCongressParty,whichgovernedIndiafrom2004to2014.Thealliancehad tenmembersat the2014electionandwonatotaloffifty-fourseats.

CHRONOLOGY

1947

August15:IndianIndependencefromBritishrule.Partitionofthecountryinto

theDominionsofIndiaandPakistan.

1948

January30:AssassinationofMahatmaGandhibyNathuramGodse.February4:RSSbannedfollowingGandhi’sassassination.

1949

July11:BanonRSSlifted‘unconditionally’.

1950

September17:ModiborninVadnagarinthenorthofwhatisnowthestateof

Gujarat.

1951-52

Oct51–Feb52:India’sfirstgeneralelection.JawaharlalNehru,leaderofthe

CongressParty,becamePMwithahugemajority.

1957

Feb –March: Second general election. JawaharlalNehruwon a second term

afteranotherlandslide.

1962

February: Third general election. Jawaharlal Nehru re-elected with a slightly

reducedmajority.

1967

February:Fourthgeneralelection.TheCongressPartywoncomfortablyunder

theleadershipofNehru’sdaughter,IndiraGandhi.

1971

March:Fifthgeneralelection.IndiraGandhire-electedwithabigmajority.

1975

June25:EmergencyruledeclaredbyIndiraGandhifollowingpoliticalunrest.It

gavehertheauthoritytorulebydecreeandlastedtwenty-onemonths.

1977

March: Sixth general election. TheCongress Partywas defeated for the first

time. A Bhartiya Lok Dal/Janta Party coalition took office underMorarjiDesaiasprimeminster.

March23:Emergencyliftedandallarrestedleadersreleasedfromjail.

1980

January: Seventh general election. The Congress Party under Indira Gandhi

returnedtopowerwithahugemajority.April 6: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) founded with the support of the

leadershipoftheHindunationalistRSS.

1984

October 31: Assassination of IndiraGandhi by two of her bodyguards in the

aftermathofOperationBlueStar against theSikhGoldenTemple inAmritsar.

December:Eighthgeneralelection.AlandslidevictoryforIndiraGandhi’sson,Rajiv.

1989

November:Ninthgeneralelection.Nopartyhadamajority.TheCongressParty

went into opposition and V.P. Singh became prime minister at theheadofaNationalFrontalliancethatwassupportedbytheBJP.

1990

February: Gujarat state assembly election. The Congress Party was defeated

afteradecadeinpower.ThenewgovernmentincludedboththeJanataDalPartyandtheBJP.

1991

May - June: Tenth general election. Again no party could get a majority. A

minority government was formed under P.V. Narasimha Rao of theCongressParty.

May21:AssassinationofRajivGandhi,byTamilmilitantswhilecampaigningforelectionsnearChennai,TamilNadu.

1992

December6:BabriMasjidmosqueinAodyhadestroyedbyHinduextremists.

1995

March 14: Keshubhai Patel of theBJP becameGujarat chiefminister after a

landslidevictoryinthestateassemblyelection.ModihadreturnedtoGujarattoworkinthecampaign.

1996

April – May: Eleventh general election. A hung parliament resulted in an

unstablegovernmentandthreeprimeministersintwoyears.May 16: BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee took office as prime minister but

lasted just thirteen days. On 1 June he was replaced by H.D. DeveGowdafromtheJanataDalParty.

1998

February: Twelfthgeneral election.Nopartyhad amajority.TheBJP leader,

AtalBihariVajpayee,tookofficeattheheadofanunstablecoalition.March4:KeshubhaiPateloftheBJPreturnedasGujaratchiefministerafterthe

party’s victory in the state assembly election.Modi had returned toGujaratagaintohelporganisethecampaign.

May19: Modipromoted tobecome theparty’sgeneral secretary inchargeoforganisation.

1999

Sep-Oct:Thirteenthgeneralelection.AtalBihariVajpayeeoftheBJPformeda

stable coalition at the head of the National Democratic Alliance(NDA).

2001

October 4: Modi appointed leader of the Gujarat party and interim chief

ministerofGujaratafterKeshubhaiPatelwasforcedtoresign.

2002

February 27: Train carrying over two thousand Hindu pilgrims attacked at

Godhrarailwaystation.Fifty-ninepeoplekilled.February28: Riotserupted inGujarat. Over thenext threedaysat least1000

peoplewerekilled,themajorityofthemMuslims.April30:ReportbyHumanRightsWatchentitledWeHaveNoOrderstoSave

You published. It claimed the riots were planned in advance andimplicatedboththepoliceandofficialsfromtheBJP.

December22:NarendraModisworninaschiefministeragainafterwinninghisfirstGujaratstateassemblyelectionasleaderwithabigmajority.

2003

August17:ModispeechattheWembleyConferenceCentreinLondonduringa

visittotheUK.September28:First‘VibrantGujarat’GlobalInvestors’Summitheld.

2004

April-May: Fourteenthgeneralelection.TheBJP lostofficeand theCongress

Party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) formed a government.SoniaGandhiannouncedshewouldnottakethepostofprimeministerwhichwenttoDrManmohanSingh.

2005

March 19: US government visa ban onNarendraModi announced under the

ImmigrationandNationalityActwhichincludedthepowertoexcludeanybodybelievedtohavebeen‘responsiblefor,ordirectlycarriedout,atanytime,particularlysevereviolationsofreligiousfreedom’.

2007

February 27: Narendra Modi’s second victory in the Gujarat state assembly

electionwithabigmajority.October19:ModiwalkedoutofaTVinterviewwithKaranThaparforCNN-

IBNwhenquestionedaboutGodhrariots.

2008

January21:PrinceCharlesspeechontheenvironmentdeliveredbyhologramto

aconferenceinAbuDhabi.October3:TataMotorsannounceditwouldshiftproductionofitsNanocarto

GujaratfromWestBengal,praisingModi’spro-businesspolicies.

2009

February1:Modi’sfirst‘tweet’onTwitter.May5:ModiFacebookaccountopened.April-May: Fifteenth general election. The Congress Party-led United

ProgressiveAllianceformedagovernmentforasecondtimeunderDrManmohanSingh.

2010

March 27-28 Modi gave testimony for nine hours before the SupremeCourt

appointedSpecialInvestigationTeam(SIT),intothe2002riots.

August12: Reportspublished linking theCongress-ledgovernment toallegedcorruptionincontractsforthe2010CommonwealthGamesinDelhi.

October 20: Facebook article on Modi posted under the heading ‘NarendraModiasPrimeMinister?WhyNot?’

November 10: Corruption story broke implicatingministers in the sale of 2Gmobilephonespectrumlicenses.

2011

April5:Anti-corruptionmovementlaunchedbysocialactivistAnnaHazare.June1:Yogaguruandanti-corruptioncampaignerBabaRamdevmetatDelhi

airportbyfourgovernmentministers.

2012

Feb–March:UttarPradeshstateassemblyelections,SamajwadiParty(SP)led

byAkhileshYadavwonamajority.February28: ‘Cleanchit’ reported tohavebeengiven toModiby theSpecial

InvestigationTeam(SIT)onGodhrariots.March1:Modiblogsaidtheeventsof2002‘painedmedeeply’.March16:ModiappearedonthefrontcoverofTimemagazineinAsia.August 17: Report by Comptroller and Auditor General claimed billions of

rupeeslosttothepublicpurseintheallocationofcoalreserves.October 22: Meeting between Modi and Sir James Bevan, British High

Commissioner,liftingthebanbyUKGovernment.November 18: First 3D hologram rallies staged byModi during the Gujarat

elections.December12:Secondroundof3Dralliesreached53locations,earningModia

placeintheGuinnessBookofRecords.December 20: Results of Gujarat elections declared. Modi elected as chief

minister for the third time. During his victory speech the crowdshouted‘PM,PM’and‘Delhi,Delhi’.

2013

January7:ModiwelcomedbyEUambassadorsinDelhi.March 31: Modi appointed to BJP’s top decision making body, the

parliamentaryboard.June 9: BJP parliamentary board declared Modi chairman of the General

ElectionCampaignCommittee.June 12: Amit Shah arrived in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh, to start

preparations for the general election campaign after being appointedbyModi.

June16: NitishKumar,leaderoftheJanataDalUnitedParty(JDU),brokeits17-yearoldalliancewiththeBJP.

July14: ModispeechatFergussonCollegeinPune,Maharashtra.Firstuseofcrowd-sourcingideasforhisspeechesthroughsocialmedia.

August 27: Murder of aMuslim and twoHindu youths inMuzaffarnagar ineasternUttarPradesh.Morethan60peoplewerekilledintheensuingriots.

September 13: Modi chosen as prime ministerial candidate by the BJPParliamentaryBoard.

September15:Modi’sfirstrallyafterbeingdeclaredPMcandidateinRewari,Haryana,whereheaddressedex-servicemen.

September18:CourtinMuzaffarnagar,UttarPradesh,orderedthearrestof16politiciansandcommunityleadersforincitingviolence.

October27: InPatna,inthestateofBihar,bombsexplodedinandaroundthesiteofaModirallykillingsixpeople.

October 31: Foundation stone laid for the Statue ofUnity byModi andL.K.Advani.

November15: Testimonialmatch for Indiancricketer,SachinTendulkar.Thecrowd chanted Modi’s name when Rahul Gandhi walked into thestadium.

November15:‘Snoopgate’storyappearedontwonewswebsites.December4:AssemblyelectionsheldinNewDelhi,theBJPgotthemostseats

followed by theAamAadmiParty (AAP).No party had amajority.BJPdeclinedtoformagovernment.

December15:‘RunforUnity’organisedsimultaneouslyacross1,100locations.December17:LokpalActpassedcreatinganti-corruptionombudsmen.December28:AAPleaderArvindKejriwalsworninasDelhichiefminister.

2014

January8:DrManmohanSinghstatement,‘yes,wearefacingbaddaysbutthe

gooddayswillbecomingsoon.’January14:NewBJPsloganunveiledbyModi‘GoodDaysAreComing’.January 17: Rahul Gandhi speech to All India Congress Committee (AICC)

meeting.January17:‘Chaiwala’remarkbyCongressMPManiShankarAiyar.January27:RahulGandhi’smuchcriticisedinterviewwithArnabGoswamifor

theTimesNowTVchannel.February12:Firstroundof‘ChaipeCharcha’teastallchatsatmorethan1,000

locations.February13:USambassadorNancyPowellmetModi.February14: ArvindKejriwalresignedasDelhichiefministerafterforty-nine

days.March 5: Dates for the general election announced.Model Code of Conduct

imposedbytheElectionCommissionofIndia.March8: Second roundof ‘ChaipeCharcha’ across1,500 locations in India

andtransmittedlivetothirtyforeigncountries.April4:AmitShahaccusedofgivingahatespeechinShamli,UttarPradesh.April7: BJPManifestounveiled.Pollingday in the firstphaseof thegeneral

election.April9:Pollingdayinsecondphaseofthegeneralelection.April10:Pollingdayinthirdphaseofthegeneralelection.April11:AttempttooverturnModi’s‘cleanchit’overtheGujaratriotsrejected

bytheSupremeCourt.April11:AmitShahbannedfromholdingfurtherpublicralliesbytheElection

Commissionforallegedhatespeech.April11:Modi3Drallieslaunchedacross100locationsatonetime.April 12: Modi’s first appearance on a national TV interview on India TV’s

‘AapKiAdalat’.

April12:Pollingdayinfourthphaseofthegeneralelection.April17:Pollingdayinthefifthphaseofthegeneralelection.April24:ModifiledhisnominationpapersinVaranasi.April24:Pollingdayinsixthphaseofthegeneralelection.April 30: Modiposed for a ‘selfie’with theBJP symbol, the lotus flower, in

breachofelectionrules.April30:Pollingdayinseventhphaseofthegeneralelection.May 5: Controversy over Modi’s rallies in Faizabad and Amethi, the

constituencyofRahulGandhi.May7:Pollingdayineighthphaseofthegeneralelection.May 8: Modi’s procession to BJP party headquarters in Varansai after he is

forcedtocancelarally.May8:ModimetMuslimwarveteran,Col.Nizamuddinandkissedhisfeet.May8:Modi’sfinalTVinterviewofthecampaign,withTimesNow,broadcast.May10:Lastdayofelectioncampaigning.May12:Pollingdayintheninthandfinalphaseofthegeneralelection.May 16: Declaration of the general election results. The BJP won with 282

seats,givingitaparliamentarymajority.NarendraModitweets‘Indiahaswon’.

May26:ModisworninasthefifteenthprimeministerofIndia.May26:Modi’sfirstcabinetannounced.July10:FinanceministerArunJaitleypresentedhisfirstbudget.July13:ModiarrivedinBraziltoattendtheBRICSsummit.August15:Modi’sfirstIndependenceDayAddressattheRedFort,Delhi.August28:Plantoprovidebanksaccountsandaccidentinsuranceforthepoor

unveiled.August30:StartofModivisittoJapan.September3:EndofModi’sfirst100days.September13:UttarPradeshby-electionsheldin11assemblyseats.Samajwadi

Party(SP)woneightseatsandtheBJPwonthreeseats.September26:ModideparturefortheUS.September27:ModiaddresstotheUnitedNationsGeneralAssembly.September27:ModiappearanceatCentralParkrally.September28:ModispeechatMadisonSquareGarden.October2:‘CleanIndia’projectlaunched.October11:‘AdoptaVillage’schemelaunched.October15:Haryanastateassemblyelections.BJPwonamajorityforthefirst

time.October15: Maharashtrastateassemblyelection.BJPwonthe largestnumber

ofseatsandformedacoalitiongovernment.November14:ModidepartureforAustraliatoattendtheG-20summit.November18:‘Selfie’withTonyAbbottatMelbourneCricketGround.November18:ModiaddresstotheAustralianparliamentinCanberra.November25:ModivisittoNepal.November11:Modiannouncednewministersinenlargedgovernment.December30: ChargesagainstAmitShahwhileGujarathomeaffairsminister

dismissed.

2015

January11:VibrantGujaratsummitopenedwithmanyworldleadersattending.January26:RepublicDay.PresidentObamaguestofhonourinDelhi.February10:AAPwinslandslidevictoryinDelhiAssemblyelectionstaking67

seatsto3fortheBJP.

NOTES

Pagenumbersrefertotheprintedition.

ChapterOne:TheOutsider

Page5‘secularismandcommunalism...havesignificantlydifferentmeanings.’ ‘Secular’ in India isn’t the opposite of ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’. Itsignifies support for an inclusive approach to all religions, often with specialhelp for those that are in a minority. ‘Communal’ has nothing to do withsomething‘shared’orheldincommon.Itmeansowingallegiancetoyourowncommunity,usuallyyourreligion,casteorethnicgroup.Page6‘ItisnothardtofindpeoplewhoreadilydefineModiasanextremist . . . a fascist.’ Financial Times (14 March 2014) headlined acommentarybyitsSouthAsiaCorrespondent,VictorMallett,Indiaelections–the return of Hitler.Mallett was remarking on how readily Hitler’s name isbandiedaboutinIndianpolitics.RahulGandhihadjustlikenedModitoHitler,saying‘Hitlerwasthebiggestarrogantwhothoughtpeoplehadnowisdomandthere was no need to listen to them. He thought he had all the knowledgehimself.Similarly,thereisaleadertodayinIndiawhosays“Ihavedonethis,Ihavedone that” andbehaves arrogantly.A leader shouldnot be arrogant.”AsMallettpointedout,Gandhi’sgrandmother,Indira,hadbeenlikenedtoHitlerbya leadingBJPpolitician,ArunJaitley,whobecameModi’s financeminister in2014.Page6‘thediaryofmytimeinDowningStreet’.TheSpinDoctor’sDiary,LancePrice,(Hodder&Stoughton2006).Page6‘mysecondbook’.WherePowerLies,LancePrice,(Simon&Schuster2010).Page7‘inMandela’scasehewasmorethanhappy’.TheSpinDoctor’sDiary,LancePrice,(Hodder&Stoughton2006),p.256.Page7 ‘Fifty-six inches is avery cleverly crafted tool’.NilanjanMukhopadhyay,NarendraModi, theMan, theTimes (TranquebarPress2013),p.279.Page11‘formerPresidentHerbertHoover...Icoulddobetterwithoutit’.newslaundy.com,12November2012.Page12‘Iamanoutsider...eliteclassofthisplace.’ThetextofallModi’smajorspeechescanbefoundonhiswebsitenarendramodi.in.Page14‘Anabsolutelymodelcampaign...eventheyhadn’tdreamedof.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page14‘Halfthepeople...nothingonearth.’PatrickFrench,India–A

Portrait(Penguin2012),p.67.Page15‘CandidatesrunningunderthecoloursoftheBJPsecured31%’.Allfigures from the Election Commission of India. Full election statistics arepublishedontheirwebsiteeci.nic.in.Page15‘Thegreatestshowonearth’.NewYorkTimes,2June2009.Page15‘Goldstandard’.HillaryClintonspeech,20July2011,Chennai.Page16‘EligibleelectorateinIndia’.TheUnitedNationsWorldPopulationProspects,2012revision,asquotedbyS.Y.Quraishi,TheMakingoftheGreatIndianElection(RupaPublications2014),pp.63-64.Page17‘Youcampaigninpoetry,yougoverninprose.’TheNewRepublic,4April1985.

ChapterTwo:ChaiWala

Page19 ‘Iamaperson. . .becominganything.’NarendraModi,AapKiAdalat,IndiaTV,12April2014.Page20‘Inallcornersofthecountry...wantedtoseehimwin.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page20 ‘Pastelectionshaveshown . . . trustednamenotapartyname.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page21 ‘Hewouldhelphisfathersell tea’.AapKiAdalat, IndiaTV,12April2014.Page22 ‘Iwas in the traincompartment . . .and take themoney.’AndyMarino,NarendraModi,APoliticalBiography(HarperCollins2014),p.9.Page22‘WhileGandhiwasbornintoacomfortablyofffamily’.MohandasGandhiwas born into theBania caste, an occupational community ofmoney-lenders,merchants,bankersandtraders.‘Mahatma’isanhonorarytitlemeaning‘venerable’.India’scastesystemhastraditionallyseparatedeverybodyintorigidsocial groups and persists to this day, although social mobility has increasedconsiderablysinceindependence.Page22‘OBC’sareclassifiedassociallyandeducationallybackward.’TheConstitutionof Indiadetails theScheduledCastesandScheduledTribesof thecountry, prohibits discrimination on grounds of caste, creed or birth andempowers the state to make special provisions for the advancement of anysociallyandeducationallybackwardclasses.Page22 ‘ChildhoodStoriesofNarendraModi.’TheModicartoonbookfollowedthehugesuccessofastrandofcomicsthattoldfictionalisedstoriesofmythologicalheroesaschildren.TheybecamearageandspawnedaTVseries.Page23‘Narendrabhaiwouldalsoreadourpalms’.TimesofIndia,9April2014.Page24 ‘Iwasbravenotnaughty . . . teacherswereveryupset.’AapKiAdalat,IndiaTV,12April2014.Page24‘onlyanaveragestudent’.TheCaravan,1March2013.Page24‘Narendraalwayswantedtodosomethingdifferent’.TheCaravan,1March2013.Page24 ‘ModiwouldlaterjointheNationalCadetCorps’.TheNCCisamilitarycadetorganisationopentostudentsfromtheageof13.It issimilar totheBritishCombinedCadetForce.Modisaidonthecampaigntrailthathehad

wantedtojointhearmybuthisparentscouldn’taffordit.Page25‘AuniquephenomenoninthehistoryofBharat[India]’.BharatisderivedfromtheSanskritnamefortheIndiansubcontinent,Bharatra.Page25 ‘Sangh’s sphereof influencehasbeen spreading far andwide’.rss.org.Page25‘secondlargestpoliticalmovement...ChineseCommunistParty.’EdwardLuce,InSpiteoftheGods(Abacus2011)p.144.Page26 ‘openadmiration forHitler’.MarziaCasolari, an Italianscholarwho studied Indian politics, once wrote of RSS’ connections with Europeanfascism: ‘The existence of direct contacts between the representatives of the[Italian] Fascist regime, including Mussolini, and Hindu nationalistsdemonstratesthatHindunationalismhadmuchmorethananabstractinterestintheideologyandpracticeoffascism.TheinterestofIndianHindunationalistsinfascism and Mussolini must not be considered as dictated by an occasionalcuriosity, confined to a few individuals; rather, it should be considered as theculminating result of the attention thatHindunationalists… focusedon Italiandictatorship and its leader. To them, fascism appeared to be an example ofconservativerevolution.’QuotedinInternationalBusinessNews,6March2012.Page 26 ‘closely modelled on that worn by Mussolini’s Blackshirts’.EdwardLuce,InSpiteoftheGods(Abacus2011),p.152.Page27 ‘TheRSS is atbest aneffort toprotectHinduism.’Email fromSwaminathanGurumurthy.Page 28 ‘There are several senior leaders . . . less fond.’ NilanjanMukhopadhyay,NarendraModi, theMan, theTimes (TranquebarPress2013),p.304.Page 28 ‘There is noMussolini in the RSS . . . awaywith the show.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page29‘AnyonewhohasreadthebasictextsofHindunationalism...nottheirpunyabhumi(holyland)’.IndianExpress,27March2014.Page30‘ItisawayoflifeinIndia...sothereisnoissue.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page30‘MuslimsandChristiansinthecountryaredescendantsofconvertsfromHinduism’.EdwardLuce,InSpiteoftheGods(Abacus2011),p.154.Page30‘onenation,onepeopleandoneculture.’Prefacetothe2014BJPManifesto,EkBharatShreshthaBharat,(‘OneIndia,ExcellentIndia’).Page 30 ‘to improve their status by embracing Islam or Christianity.’EdwardLuce,InSpiteoftheGods(Abacus2011),p.154.

Page31 ‘Modi’smarriagewasneverconsummated’.TheTimes,10April2014.Page31 ‘Wehadnoideawherehehaddisappearedto. . . turneduponeday.’TheCaravan,1March2013.Page32‘Icouldfitall...beggingforfood.’AapKiAdalat,IndiaTV,12April2014.Page33 ‘Until 1978 Iwasbehind . . . how toplan.’ Interviewwith theauthor.Page33 ‘Iwas a 25-year old . . . brutally trampledover.’Modi’s blog,narendramodi.in,26June2013.Page33‘Iwaslucky...adifferentworld.’AndyMarino,NarendraModi,APoliticalBiography(HarperCollins2014),pp.44–45.

ChapterThree:ChiefMinister

Page 35 ‘By refusing to putMuslim fears to rest. . . nurtures it.’ TheEconomist,4April2014.Page35‘Indiaisacountrywithmultiplereligions...manyofitspeople.’NewYorkTimes,16October2013.Page36‘Itmighthavelastedlonger’.KingshukNag,TheSaffronTide–theRiseoftheBJP(RupaPublications2014),p.197.Page37‘Modishouldbeallowedtoreturn’.AndyMarino,NarendraModi,APoliticalBiography(HarperCollins2014),p.86.Page38 ‘ManyHindusbelieveAyodhyawasthebirthplaceof theHindugodRam’.EdwardLuce,InSpiteoftheGods(Abacus2011),p.158.Page39 ‘the allegation resurfaced intermittently’. For example bypartyspokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil, who asked, “If you don’t call him maut kasaudagar(merchantofdeath),howelsecanyoudescribehim,”IndianExpress,21March2014.Page39‘accusingSoniaGandhiandherpartyofbesmirching’.TheHindu,13December2007.Page39 ‘HumanRightsWatch’sfindings...stategovernment.’HumanRightsWatchreportVol.14,No.3[c],‘WehaveNoOrdersToSaveYou–StateparticipationandComplicityinCommunalViolenceinGujarat’,30April2002.Page40‘Weareaware...whenhe’shere.’HomeOfficestatement.TheGuardian,18August2003.Page41‘Wewereunderintense...areasonablecompromise.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page42‘nocriminalcaseismadeoutagainstNarendraModi’.ibnlive.com,11May2012.Page42 ‘mostof thedomesticmedia . . .“acleanchit”’.TheHindu,10February2012.Page 42 ‘pulled every trick in the book’. Sundeep Dougal writing inOutlook,3February2011.Page 42 ‘the events of 2002 . . . “pained me deeply”’. AndyMarino,NarendraModi,APoliticalBiography(HarperCollins2014),pp.240-1.Page43‘tweetedsimply“Godisgreat”’.TheHindu,12September2012.Page43‘NoFullStopsinIndia’.ByMarkTully,(Penguin1992).Page43‘RahulGandhicalledtheruling...“toopremature”’.IndiaToday,

11April2014.Page44‘IfNarendraModi...answerforthem.’SudeshVerma,NarendraModi–theGameChanger(Vitasta2014),p.354.Page44‘Theimpactof...theincident.’KingshukNag,TheSaffronTide–theRiseoftheBJP(RupaPublications2014),p.197.Page45 ‘Gujarat’seconomygrewat10.1percent’.IndiaToday,4April2014.Page45‘contributesaround16percentofcountry’sindustrialproduction’.NilanjanMukhopadhyay,NarendraModi,theMan,theTimes(TranquebarPress2013),p.363.Page46 ‘declaredAhmedabad‘thebestofIndia’smega-cities’.TimesofIndia,11December2011.Page46‘Gujaratisnotyettheperfectstate’.IndiaToday,4April2014.Page47‘Mr.Modi’sperformanceaschiefminister...makeithappen.’TheEconomist,4April2014.Page47‘Ibelieveitwill...ourwork.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page48‘Peoplewould...Modihasprovidedelectricity.’AapKiAdalat,IndiaTV,12April2014.Page 48 ‘fast to the death unless Modi resigned’. Times of India, 12December2004.Page48 ‘Iwas twenty-seven . . . public perception.’ Interviewwith theauthor.Page49‘Since2002...stateofGujarat.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page50‘pointswithpridetotheconstituencyofJamnagar’.IndiaToday,16March2013.Page 50 ‘Look at the records . . . Godhra is wrong.’ NilanjanMukhopadhyay,NarendraModi,theMan,theTimes,(TranquebarPress2013),p.347.

ChapterFour:BehindTheMask

Page 51 ‘Narendra Modi as Prime Minister? Why Not?’,facebook.com/notes/india/narendramodi-as-prime-minister-why-not-please-comment-on-it-/168519983161043.Page52 ‘Acrossdigitalmedia . . . todo something.’ Interviewwith theauthor.Page54 ‘TheModispinmachine. . .accountability.’TruthversusHype,social.ndtv.com.16December2012.Page55‘AfterObama’selection...usethem.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page 56 ‘Congress alleged thatModi was wearing a “pseudomask ofdevelopment”.’EconomicTimes,22April2014.Page57‘thesameaccusationwasmadeagainstAtalBihariVajpayee’.Thedescriptionwasmadebyamanwhohimselfcamefromthathard-linetradition,K.N.Govindacharya,aveteranRSS ideologuewhowasclose toL.K.Advani.Govindacharya,whowas theBJPgeneral secretary at the time, had a bit of areputation for making unguarded comments so while he denied a report in aHindidailynewspaper thathehad told threeBritishdiplomats thatVajpayee’srolewas“akintothatofamaskinaplay”,while“AdvaniistherealpowerintheBJP”,thedamagewasdone.IndiaToday,21August2014.Page59 ‘his teamweredelighted tosee theirmanonthecoverofTimemagazine’.Time,26March2012.Page60 ‘Several leading industrialistshad spokenoutagainsthim’.TheCaravan,1March2012.Page 60 ‘something close to the businessman’s darling’. NilanjanMukhopadhyay,NarendraModi,theMan,theTimes(TrandquebarPress2013),p.340.Page 60 ‘no-frills Nano car project’. AndyMarino,NarendraModi, APoliticalBiography(HarperCollins2014),p.211.Page60‘Gujarathademergedasthemostpreferredinvestmentdestination’.BusinessStandard,1August2012.Page60 ‘time tobring thechiefminister’spariah status to anend’.TheGuardian,22October2012.Page 61 ‘Personally I don’t think hewas culpable’. Interviewwith theauthor.Page62‘Wearenowinanewphase’.HindustanTimes,9February2013.

Page62‘ItwouldtakeUSambassadorNancyPowell...UnitedStateswasalsoreadytoenditsboycott’.TimesofIndia,13February2014.Page 62 ‘development and Modi’s approach to leadership’.indiatvnews.com,28September2012.Page63‘paradigmshiftinthewaytechnologywasperceivedandutilised’.narendramodi.in,14March2013.Page63 ‘PrinceCharles,usedasystembasedonPepper’sGhost’.DailyTelegraph,22January2008.Page64‘Ihadnoideawhathewaslike...downtowork.’rediff.com,5May2014.Page65‘hesworeeverybodytosecrecy’.Interviewforthisbookgivenontheconditionofanonymity.Page65‘“morallyreprehensible”tospendsomuchmoneyona3Dspeech’.newslaundry.com,22November2012.Page65‘pointedtoasmanyas125seatsfortheBJPinastateassemblyof182’. Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Narendra Modi, the Man, the Times(TrandquebarPress2013),p.378.Page66‘ByservingGujaratIserveIndia...whatiswrong.’CNN-IBN,21December2012.

ChapterFive:TheBigMo

Page69‘PeoplewantedtheCongressout.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page 69 ‘By far the biggest andmost blatant exercise in corruption inindependentIndia’shistory.’TimesofIndia,29August2010.Page70 ‘Evenwith somebodyelse leading theBJP’. Interviewwith theauthor.Page71‘AndimuthuRaja,wasfromoneoftheCongressParty’scoalitionpartners,theDMK’.DravidaMunnetraKazhagam,apartybasedinthesouthernstatesofTamilNaduandPuducherry.Thepartydidwellinthe2004elections,winning40seats.TheywereawardedsevenministerialpostsintheCongress-ledUPAcoalitiongovernment.In2014theyfailedtowinanyparliamentaryseats.Page71‘Hewasaccusednotonlyofmisallocatingthelicences...senttojail.’TimesofIndia,25April2014.Page71 ‘The“2Gscam”becameemblematicofaperceived flaw in theUPAarrangement’.HarishKhare,HowModiWonIt,(HachetteIndia2014),p.23.Page71‘Coalgatehadthepotentialtoinflictevengreaterpoliticaldamage’.dnaindia.com,3September2012.Page73‘Hazarestartedanotherfast-unto-deaththathecalledIndia’ssecondstruggleforindependence’.TimesofIndia,28July2012.Page73‘inDecember2013,theLokpalBillwaspassedintolaw.’TimesofIndia18December2013.Page73‘’Iamgoingonthepathofagitationsandhehasformedapoliticalparty’.dnaindia.com,16December2013.Page74 ‘India’smost famousyogaguru,knownasBabaRamdev’.TheHindu,2June2011.Page 75 ‘Sri Sri Ravi Shankar led the vast Art of Living Foundation’.artofliving.org.Page 75 ‘His campaign was spiritual not political’.Times of India, 31October2011.Page76‘Hadshe...assumedthetopjob,thecontroversywouldhavebeenmassive’.firstpost.com,1August2014.Page 77 ‘Singh . . . “swallows everything, doesn’t spit anything out.”’Sanjaya Baru, The Accidental Prime Minister (Viking 2014), quoted in TheEconomist,3May2014.

Page78‘ManmohanSinghwasthechiefelectionagent’.Interviewwiththeauthor.Page78‘ThesearepeoplewhoheldModi’shandtomakehimwalk’.AapKiAdalat,IndiaTV,12April2014.Page79‘IbelieveweneedanexperiencedhandasPM.’HeadlinesToday,3March2013.Page79 ‘Gujaratmodelofeconomicdevelopment . . .hadalreadybeensuccessful.’TimesofIndia,2June2013.Page80‘TheheadoftheRSSMohanBhagwat,askedhimtoreconsider’.KingshukNag,TheSaffronTide–theRiseoftheBJP(RupaPublications2014),p.224.Page80 ‘JanataDalUnited . . .brought toanend itsseventeen-yearoldelectoralalliance’.IndianExpress,16June2013.Page81 ‘RSScalledon theparty togetonwith itand threw its supportbehindModi’.TimesofIndia,3August2013.Page81‘Advaniwas...worried...anearlyannouncementwouldshiftattention from the weakness of Congress and onto Modi’s controversialpersonality’.TimesofIndia,12September2013.Page81‘disappointmentoveryourstyleoffunctioning.’TimesofIndia,13September2013.Page81‘ItwasMrRajnathSinghwhocalledmefirst.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page82‘Youdidn’thavetobetheIndianequivalentofaKremlinologist’TheHindu,17September2013.

ChapterSix:TheModiOperandi

Page83 ‘The lampofassembly-baseddemocracy . . .becamecommon.’JohnKeane,TheLifeandDeathofDemocracy(Simon&Schuster2009),p.xi.Page83 ‘TheDNAof democracy . . .makes India.’ Interviewwith theauthor.Page89‘nevergototheBJPoffice,don’tholdtheBJPflag.’TheCaravan,11May2014.Page 89 ‘He became a sort . . . developmentman.’ Interviewwith theauthor.Page90‘Therearealotofmisnomers...workforhim.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page92 ‘Iused tocoordinate . . . standof theparty.’ Interviewwith theauthor.Page93‘Itoldhim...presidentialcampaign.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page94‘Whenagroupof...coffeetable.’indiancag.org.Page 94 ‘Meet the most trusted strategist in the Narendra Modiorganisation.’TimesofIndia,7October2013.Page95‘Wewouldlike...Modi’steam.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page95‘changingmindstochangepeople’svotes’.nitidigital.com/aboutus.Page96‘switchfocusfrommaximisingalliestomaximisingseats’.RajeshJain,Project275for2014,May2011.Page96‘BacktotheNineties...bringchange.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page98‘governingstylehasneverbeensodistantfromwhatpeoplewant’.modibharosa.com/aboutus.CHAPTERSEVEN:I,MODI

Page 99 ‘BJP parliamentary board had unanimously chosen NarendraModi’.NDTV.com,11September2013.Page100‘Iwasstill...politicalscenarios.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page100‘Thiswasthefirst...bandwagon.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page103 ‘RahulGandhi failed toconnectwith thecrowd thewayModidid’.IndiaToday,18September2013.Page104‘lacunaattheheartoftheCongressstrategy...onasittingduck.’HarishKhare,HowModiWonIt,(HachetteIndia2014),p.51.

Page104 ‘theuseofMuslimnameshaslongbeenpartofhisdemagogicrepertoire’.HarishKhare,HowModiWonIt,(HachetteIndia2014),p.40.Page104‘Congressprotestedthattheuseofthewordwas“undignified”.’IndiaToday,26October2013.Page105 ‘RahulGandhiwenttosee . . .newleader.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page105‘FormostpartthereseemedtobegenuineenthusiasmforModi’.firstpost.com,28October2013.Page106 ‘announcementsoverthespeakersystemreferringonlyto“tyreblastsandfirecrackers”’.IndiaToday,27October2013.Page 107 ‘raised concerns about security in writing with the stategovernment’.NDTV,28October2013.Page 107 ‘necessary arrangements were not made. This is criminalnegligence.’RajdeepSardesai,2014:TheElectionThatChangedIndia(PenguinBooks2014),p.258.Page107‘veryfewMuslimsinthecrowd’.IndiaToday,27October2013.Page 107 ‘Ten peoplewere charged in connectionwith the bombings’.TimesofIndia,23August2014.Page109 ‘”Sahib”(sir),whichwasclaimedtobeareferencetohisboss,NarendraModi’.BusinessStandard,23November2013.Page 109 ‘The tapes indicate that . . . relaying it to his Saheb.’gulail.com/the-stalkers.Page110‘Iwouldliketoaskthewomen...yettoanswerforSnoopgate.’TimesofIndia,25March2014.Page110 ‘Anyfurtherinvestigation,shesaid,wouldinvadeherprivacy’.HindustanTimes,6May2014.

ChapterEight:IronMan2

Page 112 ‘It will be a unique memorial . . . close to Sardar’s heart.’dnaindia.com,7October2010.Page112 ‘Modislappedhimdown,saying thestatuewas foreveryone’.IndianExpress,31October2013.Page 113 ‘through pamphlets in regional languages . . . to involve theyouth.’SundayStandard,20October2013.Page 114 ‘largest mass run of its kind in the world’.statueofunitymovement.com,14December2013.Page114‘SardarPateldevotedhislifeto...thenation.’TimesofIndia,15December2014.Page114‘SheilaDikshit,dulyresigned’.ndtv.com,8December2013.Page 115 ‘The BJP response was to accuse Kejriwal of trying to findexcuses’.TheHindu,17December2013.Page115 ‘ForKejriwal . . .will dependonhowwiselyhe runsDelhi.’TimesofIndia,29December2013.Page115 ‘chiefministerandhiscabinetcolleaguestakingtothestreets’.TimesofIndia,18January2014.Page115‘ArvindKejriwalquits.’TimesofIndia,15February2014.Page117‘theArajakAadmiParty.’IndiaToday,26January2014.Page117‘money...improperlyusedtofundpoliticalcampaigning’.TimesofIndia,24April2014.Page 118 ‘Ramdev “contributed significantly to the formation of theNarendraModigovernment”’.ndtv.com,14September2014.Page118‘It’slikegivingkeystoadriverwithalearner’slicence’EconomicTimes,17January2014.Page118 ‘Lakshmialwaysridesonthelotus’.IndianExpress,20March2014.Page119 ‘LataMangeshkar . . .prayedtoGodthatModiwouldbecomePM’.HindustanTimes,1November2013.Page 120 ‘demanded that Lata Mangeshkar should be stripped of her“BharatRatna”’.NDTV,12November2013.Page120‘hewouldn’tserveathirdtermasPM’.TimesofIndia,3January2014.Page121 ‘BJPcampaignsong,writtenbyBollywoodcomposerPrasoon

Joshi’.youtube.com/watch?v=XMEBFw-lhh8.Page121‘Gujaratmodelofdevelopmentwasa“toffeemodel”’.TimesofIndia,29March2014.Page122‘speechonthe“IdeaofIndia”’.TimesofIndia,20January2014.Page122‘Thespeechaddedweightandsubstance’.narendramodi.in/full-speech-shri-narendra-modi-at-the-bjp-national-council-meet-delhi.Page123‘Iconvertthesestonesintoaladder’.SudeshVerma,NarendraModi–theGameChanger(Vitasta2014),p.175.

ChapterNine:TeaBreak

Page124 ‘Theyare theoneswhowill sell combs to thebald’.TimesofIndia,24January2014.Page124‘Ineversoldcombs’.AapKiAdalat,IndiaTV,12April2014.Page 126 ‘We aren’t helping our campaign by mocking him.’ibnlive.in.com,17January2014.Page126‘notateavendorbuthewasacanteencontractor.’PressTrustofIndia,15February2014.Page 126 ‘Someone rising from a tea shop can never have a nationalperspective’.DailyMail,13December2014.Page128‘Bythetime...teastall.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page 128 ‘Modi’s campaign priorities and events had proved highlypopular’.IndianExpress,6December2013.Page130‘Finallyafterthree...inIndia.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page130‘Anykindofallurement...isnotpermissible’.HindustanTimes,16March2013.Page131‘Modiisfocusingon...3Dtechnology.’TimesofIndia,20April2014.Page 131 ‘The questions had been carefully vetted’. Rajdeep Sardesai,2014:TheElectionThatChangedIndia(PenguinBooks2014),p.267.Page131‘therallieshadbeencancelled...atallonehundredlocations.’InterviewwithGauravBhateleforthisbook.Page132‘Thepollrallies...postponedduetoatechnicalreason.’TimesofIndia,7April2014.Page133‘Ijustopenedoneofthestuckboltsandthesepeoplewentcrazy’.InterviewwithGauravBhateleforthisbook.Page 133 ‘We reached fifty-three places at one time andmade it to theGuinnessBookofWorldRecords’.oneindia.com,11April2014.Page134‘Iwouldchoseacolourthatwouldsuitthe3Dhologramandhewouldwearthat.’rediff.com,5May2014.Page 135 ‘These village people are saying they will not let me go’.InterviewwithGauravBhateleforthisbook.Page135‘InHindumythology...ruralareas.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page 135 ‘The 3D technology has been a huge asset for the Modicampaign.’TimesofIndia,8May2014.

Page136‘Inmyhead...theseactivities.’Interviewwiththeauthor.

ChapterTen:iModi

Page138‘Itwasour...Facebooklikes.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page138‘Isaidyou...muchhigher.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page140 ‘over240millionpeoplewereon-lineby themiddleof2014’.FiguresfromtheInternetandMobileAssociationofIndia,ndtv.com,29January2014.Page140‘needmoneyforPappu’sbraintransplant’.zeenews.india.com,24August2014.Page142‘spreadthecoloursofpeace,prosperityandhappiness’.FinancialTimes,18March2014.Page144‘There’sahistory...behostile.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page145‘Isaidwhere...jobaswell.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page145 ‘hepulledoutofa“FacebookTalksLive”debate’.ibnlive.in,3March2014.Page146 ‘MrModithendecidedtocancel.Heisbestplacedtostatethereasons.’newslaundry.com,3March2014.Page 146 ‘By building a large and devout Twitter following . . . newspriorities.’RajdeepSardesai,2014:TheElectionThatChangedIndia (PenguinBooks2014)pp.242-3.Page147‘Canwomenofthiscountrytrustaman...whodepriveshiswifeofherright.’TheTimes,10April2014.CHAPTERELEVEN:‘SUPERSTAR’

Page149‘constantfeelinginsideDowningStreetthattheywereouttogethim’.LancePrice,TheSpinDoctor’sDiary, (Hodder&Stoughton2006), pp.188,194.Page149‘GordonBrownandJohnMajor...drivenliterallytodistractionby what was said and written about them’. Lance Price,Where Power Lies(Simon&Schuster2010),chapters10and12.Page150‘ItwascertainlyawatershedmomentfortheIndiannewsmedia.’HindustanTimes,17August2014.Page151‘Ithinkmedia...corporatesector.’Interviewwiththeauthor.

Page 155 ‘no conditions had been set in advance’. The Telegraph, 21October2007.Page156 ‘we justdidn’tknowhowbadlyRahulwouldendup looking’.Rajdeep Sardesai, 2014: The Election That Changed India (Penguin Books2014),p.225.Page157‘RajatSharma,afriendofModi’sforoverfortyyears’.RajdeepSardesai,2014:TheElectionThatChangedIndia(PenguinBooks2014),p.227.Page 157 ‘The programme received the highest TV ratings in India’shistory’.EconomicTimes,17April2014.Page158‘nobodycouldclaimthatdifficultissueshadn’tbeenraised’.IndiaTV,12April2014.Page158‘QamarWaheedNaqvi...hadgonebecausehethoughttheshowhadbeen“fixed”’.IndianExpress,15April2014.Page 158 ‘The entire programme was part of the Modi propagandamachine’.RajdeepSardesai, 2014:TheElectionThatChanged India (PenguinBooks2014),p.229.Page158‘Suchreasonsarebaseless,andwecondemntheeffortbeingmadetouseitforpoliticalgains’.IndianExpress,15April2014.Page159 ‘Modi, itseems,stillhadn’t forgivenorforgotten thereportingdone by the NDTV channels’. Rajdeep Sardesai, 2014: The Election ThatChangedIndia(PenguinBooks2014),p.231.Page159‘Therearepeople...can’tstand.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page160‘Inrecentyearscorruptionwithinthemedia...orbroadcastinginformation.’ S.Y. Quraishi, The Making of the Great Indian Election (RupaPublications2014),p.325.Page 160 ‘the Indianmedia has been discharging its responsibilitywithspectacular effect.’ S.Y. Quraishi, The Making of the Great Indian Election(RupaPublications2014),p.346.

ChapterTwelve:VoteLotus

Page165‘WhetherornottheBJPwaspullingafastone...delayhadbeencausedbylogisticalproblems’.HindustanTimes,3April2014.Page165‘Intheageof140-characterTwittermessages’.EconomicTimes,3April2014.Page165‘TheRSSwassaidtobedemandingthatitappealmoreforcefullytoHindunationalists’.ndtv.com,4April,2014.Page165‘onemanwhohadhelduppublicationwas...NarendraModi’.ibnlive.in.com,3April,2014.Page167‘everyfamilywillhaveapuccahouse’.TheHindu,8December2013.Page169‘Modiisthemanifesto.Modiisthevision.’IndiaTribune,3April2014.Page169‘hewaspermittedtostandintwoconstituencies’.ModichosetorepresentVaranasiandaby-electionwasheldinVadodara,whichtheBJPwoncomfortably.InBritaininthenineteenthcenturyleadingcandidatesoftenstoodinmore than one place. In fact itwas only in the 1983Representation of thePeople’sActthatcandidateswererequiredtoattestthattheywouldn’tstandinmorethanoneseat.Page169‘Nobodywas...votefor.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page173‘Afterthat...bigtime.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page174 ‘ifyouwanttoknowabouttheimportanceofgoingaftereveryvote,justaskMukhtarAbbasNaqvi’.TheHindu,18May2014.Page 177 ‘this time nothing can save themother-son government’.TheGuardian,30April,2014.Page177‘itwasinthenatureofpoliticalspeechintendedandcalculatedtoinfluenceandaffecttheresultofelections’.IndianExpress,1May2014.Page177‘hewasstartinganinvestigationagainstchiefministerNarendraModi . . .underSection126’.IndianExpress,1May2014.Section126oftheRepresentation of the People Act, 1951, prohibits, ‘public meetings during aperiodof48hoursendingwiththehourfixedforconclusionofpolling.Section126 (1) (a) states that noperson shall convene,holdor attend, joinor addressanypublicmeetingorprocessioninconnectionwithanelection.Section126(1)(b) saysnoperson shalldisplay to thepublic anyelectionmatterbymeansofcinematograph, television or other similar apparatus. Any violation of these

provisionsarepunishablewithimprisonmentofuptotwoyearsorfineorboth.’Page177‘nochargeswereeverbroughtandthecasewasclosedinAugustafterModihadbecomePM’.TheHindu,22August2014.

ChapterThirteen:BrandModi

Page179‘MrModistandsoutliterallyandstrategically.’NewYorkTimes‘Ontherunway’,3June2014.Page 179 ‘when Tony Blair realised for the first time that he neededglasses’.LancePrice,TheSpinDoctor’sDiary(Hodder&Stoughton2006),p.143.Page179 ‘his glasses are fromBvlgari, hiswatch is aMovado’. IndianExpress,28May2014.Page179‘Ihadtowashmyownclothes...happytohearthatIdresswell.’AapKiAdalat,IndiaTV,12April2014.Page180 ‘Modi’sfashionabletastesaresaidtobeonereasonthatsometraditionalists in theRSS . . . became suspicious of him’NarendraModi, theMan,theTimes,NilanjanMukhopadhyay,(TrandquebarPress2013),p.279.Page180‘Ifyouseethescenariotwoyearsback...inModi.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page181‘Weshowedhimvariousthingslikecups...hesaid,“Goaheadanddoit”.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page183‘Howmanytimesdowegetaproductsoeasytosell?’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page183‘MrModihadfarmoreequity...startingpointforus.’InterviewwithGauravBhateleforthisbook.

ChapterFourteen-MotherGanges

Page191‘Icometoyouasachildtohismother...giverofsacredrest.’Quotedonexoticindiaart.com/article/ganga.Page192‘IfeelMotherGangahascalledmetoVaranasi.’TimesofIndia,24April2014.Page193‘Weknewthatifwecreatedamegatelevisionevent...votingwas on.’ Rajdeep Sardesai, 2014: TheElection That Changed India (PenguinBooks2014),p.306.Page193‘Theelectionhasnotbannedthefilingofnominations’.ndtv.com,25April2014.Page 193 ‘Modiwas going towin so victorywas not a target . . . likedefeat.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page194 ‘Itwasmainlycleanlinessandunemployment . . . forpeople.’InterviewwithGeetikaSehmayforthisbook.Page194‘EggswerethrownatMrArvindKejriwal...religiousbeliefsofpeople.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page195 ‘Heisconvincedthatheistheepitomeofmanhood...loveallthatabouthim.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page 197 ‘the intelligence bureau had warned of a security threat’.EconomicTimes,9May2014.Page197‘Thisisnotabananarepublic’.HindustanTimes,7May2014.Page198‘Timidmencandwarfhighoffices’.TimesofIndia,8May2014.Page198 ‘leaders touseproperdiscourse . . . like theEC.’New IndianExpress,9May2014.Page198‘IndiaisnotunderBritishrule...ontheroads.’rediff.com,8May2014.Page198‘Ashisconvoyarrived...securitycordon.’TheHindu,9May2014.Page 199 ‘Themessagewas to be around “wewill not stop, whateverhappens”.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page199‘Weareunstoppable...thisisastormofchange.’Rokenahirukpayenge, yeh jwala nahin rukne wali, prem bhara yeh jan sailab, is janta kopranam,yehbadlavkiandhihai”.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN:THEONLYWAYISUP

Page201‘Shah...wasoutonbailfacingseriouscriminalcharges’.On25July 2010 Shah was arrested and charged with the murder, extortion andkidnappingamongotheroffences.HewasexiledfromthestateofGujaratuntil2012.Shahmaintainsthatthechargeswerepoliticallymotivatedandfalse.Page201 ‘Thechargesagainsthimweredropped’.HindustanTimes,30December2014.Page 204 ‘Politics is greatly influenced by the primordial affiliations ofcasteandreligion’.hardnewsmedia.com,7April2014.Page204 ‘Youhavetoconcentrateonthebooths. . .fallintoplace’TheCaravan,1April2014.Page204‘LaxmikantVajpayee,agreedtoadoptabooth’.TheCaravan,1April2014.Page206‘Normally,partyworkersturnup...willbefutile.’dnaindia.com12March2014.Page 206 ‘There was a huge craze for caps . . . order more supplies’InterviewwithGeetikaSehmayforthebook.Page207‘OBCsmakeupover40%ofthepopulationofUP’.2011censusfigures.Page209 ‘RajeshVerma,a journalistworkingfor theIBN7TVchannel,diedafterbeingshotinthechest.’IndiaToday,7September2013.Page209‘Murkypoliticsarealreadyatwork...fireupHindusupporters.’TheEconomist,21September2013.Page210 ‘TheBJPevenwentsofarastoannouncethatthreepoliticianswho had been officially accused of fanning violence would be among theircandidates’.TheCaravan,1April2014.Page 210 ‘This is not just another election . . . insultmeted out to ourcommunity.’TimesofIndia,5April2014.Page211 ‘TheBJPcalled it a“monstrosityof judgment”’.ndtv.com,12April2014.Page 211 ‘further evidence of the BJP’s communal and anti-Muslimpolitics’.FinancialExpress,5May2014.Page211‘theBJPsaidhehadbeenreferringtothelackofdevelopment’.EconomicTimes,5May2014.Page211‘YoucaninsultModi...Butdonotinsultthelowercaste’.Patnarally,27October2013.

Page211‘IhaveneverseenGandhi...showdisrespecttoother’scaps.’IndiaTV,12April2014.Page212‘ThestrategywastoshowthatMrModiisanationalist...eveniftheyareMuslims’.Interviewwiththeauthor.Page212‘Howlongwilltheseevilscontinue...wehavedonenothing.’NewDelhi,15August2014.

ChapterSixteen:RallyDriver

Page 213 ‘a 360 degree campaign’. Arvind Gupta. Interview with theauthor.Page215‘Theymustgoback...oftheirlivelihood.’in.reuters.com,4May2014.Page216‘accusinghimofseekingvotesinthenameofreligionandtryingtospreadcommunaldisharmony’.CNN-IBN.5May2014.Page 217 ‘Only the poor will understand the pain of being poor’.dnaindia.com,5May2014.Page219‘Weneedyou...wewillmakeituptoyou.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page220‘quotingaHindisaying,“Aapkemuhmeinghee-shakkar”(Mayyourwordscometrue)’.inblive.com,5May2015.Page220‘ThebackdropfeaturedahugepictureofLordRam’.inblive.com,5May2015.Page220‘ThisisthelandofLordRam...broketheirpromises?’TimesofIndia,5May2014.Page 221 ‘The decision of having the Lord Ram . . . central partyheadquarters.’InterviewwithGauravBhateleforthisbook.Page 221 ‘It’s the heart of theGandhi family . . . theywantedModi.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page221‘I’lltellthemwhoSmritiIraniis...myyoungersister.’ndtv.com,5May2014.

ChapterSeventeen:GOTV

Page225 ‘Booth levelkitswereprepared . . . twodaysbeforepolling.’InterviewbyGauravBhateleforthisbook.Page 226 ‘It may sound amusing . . . islands and coastal areas.’ S.Y.Quraishi,TheMakingoftheGreatIndianElection(RupaPublications2014),p.3.Page227‘WhatmiserableluckIhave...somebodyhastodoit.’NewYorkTimes,12May2014.Page227‘Iamconfident...fairandunifyinggovernment.’aljazeera.com,12May2014.Page 228 ‘The AAP berated the television networks’.aamaadmiparty.org/complaint-to-ec-against-tv-channels.Page228 ‘The insanelyhugeandcomplexexerciseknownas the Indianelection.’Time,5March2014.Page 229 ‘the TV channels started to flash up their own exit polls’.indianexpress.com,12May2014.Page229 ‘Apart from theChanakyasurveywhichdidpredictanoverallmajority’.2014-elections-in-india.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/todays-chanakya-exit-poll-2014-for.html12May2014.Page229‘theElectionCommissionraisedquestionsabouthowhonestalltheparties...whensubmittingtheirelectionexpenses’.indianexpress.com,12May2014.Page230‘PeopleaskedhowcometheBJPspentsomuchmoney...goodforthem.’Interviewwiththeauthor.Page230‘“IsitModi’smoney?”askedRahulGandhi.’EconomicTimes,3May2014.Page230 ‘TheAAP. . .accusedModiofbeing their“propertydealer”’.TimesofIndia,8March2014.Page230‘Cronycapitalismshouldnotbethere.’in.reuters.com,11April2014.Page231 ‘Ihavenever receivedanyspecial treatment . . .not theBJP’sATMmachine.’CNN-IBN,28April2014.Page231 ‘India’s richestbusinessmenhave longbeenamajorsourceoffunds’.thehundubusinessline.com8January2014.Seealsoadrindia.org.Page 231 ‘Mahatma Gandhi described himself as “a friend of the

capitalists”’.rediff.com16August2004.Page233‘aweddingcelebration...wasonemassiveexerciseinbribery’.S.Y. Quraishi, The Making of the Great Indian Election (Rupa Publications2014),pp.263-4.Page233‘2014election...themosttransparentandfree’.TheStatesman,11August2014.Page233‘theauthoritiesstillseizedthreebillionrupeesincash(overthirtymillionpounds), some22million litres of alcohol and30,000kilogrammesofillegaldrugs.’.S.Y.Quraishi.Interviewwiththeauthor.Page 234 ‘namesweremissing from the electoral register . . . TheBJPsuspectedpoliticalinterference’.dnaindia.com,25April2014.

ChapterEighteen:IndiaRecast

Page236‘Modiwassaidtobewatchingtelevision’.NDTV,16May2014.Page238 ‘After filingmynomination . . .yougaveme570,000votes.’livemint.com16May2014.Page 239 ‘Modi promised the moon and the stars to the people.’ TheIndependent,16May2014.Page239‘TheCongressParty...setupaninternalinquiryintowhyithaddonesobadly’.IndiaToday,15August2014.Page240 ‘SomeofModi’spartyelders . . .offeredpositionsasmentorsinstead’.IndiaToday,26August2014.Page 240 ‘The biggest contributionwas fromour opposition . . . resultwouldnothavecome.’IndiaToday,26August2014.Page240‘pariahtoprimeminister’.OpenMagazine,16May2014.Page240‘greattobetalkingtosomeonewhojustgotmorevotesthananyotherpoliticiananywhereintheuniverse.’EconomicTimes,10July2014.Page241‘PresidentObama,begantolookmoreandmorelikethekidwhowaspickedlastforteamsduringrecess’.NewYorkTimes,19May2014.Page241 ‘thoseaged18–22,hadpreferredtheBJP’.Byagegroup, thepercentageofthevotesweresplitbetweentheBJPandCongressasfollows:18-22:36/17;23-25:33/20;26-35:33/20;36-45:30/18;46-55:30/20;56+:27/20.Source:NationalElectionStudies,CentreforStudyofDevelopingSocieties.Page241‘MuslimvotershadpreferredCongresscandidatesbyalmostfourtoone’.In‘bipolar’contestsbetweentheBJPandCongress,Muslimsvoted73%forCongress and 19% for theBJP. In ‘multipolar’ states,where regional andotherpartieswere in contention, the figureswereCongress37%,BJP7%andOthers56%.Source:NationalElectionStudies,CentreforStudyofDevelopingSocieties.Page242‘theBJPdidnotnominateasingleMuslimcandidateinUP’.HowModiWonIt,HarishKhare,2014,HachetteIndia,p.196.Page242 ‘for the first timeever theBJPhadoutpolled its rivals amongthose at the bottom of the caste system’. 24% of Dalits voted BJP in 2014compared to 19% for Congress. In the previous general election of 2009 thefigures had been 12% and 27% respectively.UnderModi 38%of tribal voteswent to theBJPagainst28%forCongress.Fiveyearsearlier ithadbeen24%BJPand38%Congress.Source:NationalElectionStudies,CentreforStudyof

DevelopingSocieties.

ChapterNineteen:FrompariahtoPM

Page244‘HisfirstprioritywasIndia’snearestneighbours’.TheHindu,27June2013.Page245‘Ashoka...cameinsearchofBuddhatotreadthepathofpeace’.NitiCentral,3August2014.Page245‘Modihadwarnedthecountrythatitwouldneedtotakea“bitterpill”inordertorestorethenation’sfinances.’SpeechinGoa.narendramodi.in.14June2014.Page 245 ‘it was a Congress budget “with saffron lipstick added”’.EconomicTimes,11July2014.Page245 ‘price inflation . . . fell toafive-year low’.EconomicTimes,8November2014.Page245‘manyeconomistssaidthenewgovernmentcouldnotclaimfullcredit’.firstbiz.com,30August2014.Page245‘Investmentwasespeciallyweak.Creditgrowthhasbeenfeeble.’TheEconomist,6December2014.Page 246 ‘He’s not anti-golf or anything, but just pro-work.’ DailyTelegraph,2June2014.Page 246 ‘Modi evenwent so far as to introduce biometric clocking-indevices’.dnaindia.com,7October2014.Page247‘hadn’tturnedupfordutyoncesincegoingonleavetwenty-fouryearspreviously.’TheGuardian,9January2015.Page 247 ‘He asked them to identify eight to ten regulations in theirministriesthatcouldbedoneawaywith.’HindustanTimes,4October2014.Page247‘Evenoursecretariesandadvisersareimposedonus.’Outlook,1September2014.Page 247 ‘He gives us some freedom . . . have the courage to takedecisions.’TimesofIndia,2September2014.Page247‘tellinghimtogohomeandchangeintosomethingbefittinghisjob’.Outlook,1September2014.Page248 ‘Modihadmademuchofhis intention tobringbackso-called“blackmoney”…Someofhisseniorministers . . .quotedassaying . . .withinhisfirst100days’.RajnathSinghwasthemostseniorministertomakethe100daypromise.EconomicTimes,17April2014.Page248‘Jaitley...governmentwould“notrestuntilthelastaccountis

identified”.’TimesofIndia,26November2014.Page 248 ‘In his first broadcast, he urged all Indian to shed theirdespondency’.TimesofIndia,3October2014.Page248 ‘As farasblackmoney isconcerned . . . shouldcomeback.’ibnlive.in,3November2014.Page248‘Corruptionistheenemyofthenation...unwarrantedpersonsasministers.’TheGuardian,27August2014.Page249‘thesearecasesarisingoutofcriminalaccusations,notcasesoutofacrime.’in.reuters.com,10November2014.Page 249 ‘The Election Commission . . . proposed banning candidatesfacingseriouscriminalcharges’.S.Y.Quraishi,TheMakingoftheGreatIndianElection(RupaPublications2014),p.414.Page249‘34%ofthetotalnumberofMPselectedinMayhadbeenchargedwithaseriousoffence’.TimesofIndia,9December2014.Page249 ‘adraftbill . . .wasshelved . . . for lackofconsensusamongleadingpoliticalparties’.EconomicTimes,9December2014.Page249‘AttheendoftheyearajudgedismissedthechargesagainstAmitShah’.HindustanTimes,30December2014.Page 250 ‘Nationalists in the state raised the spectre of a “love jihad”.’TimesofIndia,5September2014.Page250 ‘Thesearecasesoflovemarriagesandnotlovejihad’TimesofIndia,5September2014.Page250‘Lovejihadisamediacreation...nottruethatwehavestartedsomebigcampaignontheissue.’EconomicTimes,11September2014.Page250‘othercommentsbyBJPfigureswereseenasevidencethatbelowtheshinysurfaceofModi’smodernisationanddevelopmentagendalaythesameextremistHindutvaideology’.IndianExpress,3December2014.Page251‘MahanthYogiAdityanath,was...condemnedbytheElectionCommission for allegedly promoting religious hatred.’ Times of India 11September2014.Page 251 ‘InMaharashtra the BJP’s share of the vote rose . . . and inHaryanathefigureswereevenmoreremarkable,elections.in/maharashtra/.Page 251 ‘Shah launched amembership drive . . . where the BJP hadperformedlesswell’.BusinessStandard,29November2014.Page251‘pressureforchangestothecurriculuminschoolstoreflectmoretraditionalHinduvalues.TheRSSwasamong thoseurging thegovernment totake‘correctivesteps’.IndianExpress,26July2014.

Page252‘RSSwasamongthose...to“Indianise”theeducationsystem.’scroll.in,2August2014.Page 252 ‘TheAAP’s focus on local issuesworkedwhile theBJPwasaccusedofcomplacencyandoflosingtouchwiththecoreconcernsofthevoterssince the general election.’ In its assessment of the results, theTimes of Indiaconcluded that ‘The 7–0 scoreline in the Lok Sabha elections made the BJPcomplacent about the Delhi assembly polls. Delhi had fallen off its radar. ItallowedtheAAPandKejriwaltoregroupandrecover...ThepartywasrelyingtoomuchonNarendraModi’sappealandAmitShah’sorganisingabilities.Bythe time BJP became serious, Kejriwal and AAP had taken a lead and weresettingtheagenda.’TimesofIndia,10February2014.Page252‘SmritiIrani...announcedthatSanskritwouldreplaceGerman’.TimesofIndia,14November2014.Page252‘shewouldonlyeveract“inthespiritofconstitution”.’AsianAge,2December2014.Page 252 ‘many academics and professionals . . . detected subtle . . .pressurestoavoidpromotinganythingthatmightbeconstruedas“anti-Hindu”’.Therewascontroversy,forexample,overthefilm‘PK’,whichwascriticisedforhurtingHindusentiments.firstpost.com,3January2015.Page 252 ‘SalmanRushdie,was not alone inworrying thatwriters andjournalistsriskedbeing“bullied”’.ndtv.com6May2014.Page252‘BehindcloseddoorshewarnedhisMPsnottocrossthelinebymakinginflammatorystatements’.ibnlive.in.com,16December2014.Page252‘unconfirmedreportsthat...hehadthreatenedtoleavetheRSS’.firstpost.com,20December2014.Page253‘WilltherealNarendraModipleasespeakup?’firstpost.com,24December2014.Page253‘hisofficialwebsite,narendramodi.in,wasgivenamakeoverwithanewbannerheadline“ActionandHope”.’actionandhope.narendramodi.in.Page 254 ‘Some overzealousBJPworkerswere caught by the camerasscatteringleavesontheground’.ndtv.com,18November2014.Page254‘Ifwepaintthisagainwithabrushofpolitics,wewillagaindoadisservicetoMotherIndia.’zeenews.india.com,26November2014.Page254‘Modiunveiledhispromised“AdoptaVillage”campaign’.TimesofIndia,11October2014.Page254‘evenRahulandSoniaGandhiagreedtotakepart’.TimesofIndia,14November2014.

Page 255 ‘amutual love-fest that sharply etched the country’s growingpower and profile in theminds of Americans’.Times of India, 28 September2014.Page256‘HowareyoudoingNewYork?’ndtv.com,28September2014.Page 256 ‘GopalNadadur hadmade the trip fromNewYork . . . “it’sembarrassing to see India being so easily surpassed on the global stage”.’Interviewforthisbook.Page 257 ‘You will no longer have to reach to opportunities throughuncertainandunpredictablepathways’.ibnlive.com,17November2014.Page258‘Australiawillnotbeattheperipheryofourvision’.ibnlive.com,18November2014.Page 258 ‘I give this to the feet of the children of India.’ndtv.com, 17November2014.Page258‘Modi’selectionenthusedIndianslivingabroad...newinterestinIndiahere.’InterviewwithGeetikaSehmayforthisbook.Page 259 ‘We are planning to take a quantum leap.’busineworld.in11January2015.Page259 ‘theUnitedNations predicted steadygrowth in India’sGDP’.thehindubusinessline.com,20January2015.Page259‘TheInternationalMonetaryFund(IMF)wassimilarlyupbeat...The Word Bank . . . anticipated a slow but steady economic recovery’.livemint.com20January2015.Page259‘thehighestnumberofbankaccountsopenedintheshortestspaceoftime.’zeenews.india.com21January2015.Page259‘over99percentofhouseholdshadbeenenrolled.’Accordingtothe Financial Services Secretary, Jan Dhan Yojana, the figure was 99.74%.zeenews.india.com21January2015.Page260 ‘JohnKerryhad flown to India . . . tourgeModi to joinwithAmericainovercomingdecadesofdistrustintheregion.’BloombergNews,13January2015.Page 260 ‘Nawaz Sharif, sent a message reaffirming his country’scommitment to developing friendly relations’. zeenews,india.com 26 January2015.Page260‘relationshadbeencharacterisedmorebywarinessandalackofmeaningfuldialogue’.TherehadbeenawarofwordsbetweenthetwocountriesinAugustwhenModihadordered thecancellationof talksat foreignministerlevel, blaming a meeting between a Pakistani envoy and separatist rebels in

Kashmir.TheDiplomat15January2015.Page260‘Thepresidentsaidthetwocountrieswerenaturalpartners...“atopforeignpolicypriorityformyadministration”.’NewYorkTimes,25January2015.Page260 ‘MrObamaended their jointnewsconference . . . “let’swalktogether”.’thehindu.com25January2015.Page 260 ‘With the signing of the ‘India-US Delhi Declaration ofFriendship’, the relationship between the two countries was reset’. Theagreement includedmore regular summitmeetings,ahot-linebetween the twocapitals, and enhanced cooperation in a range of fields. It said, ‘Each stepwetake to strengthen the relationship is a step towards shaping internationalsecurity, regionalandglobalpeace,prosperityandstabilityforyears tocome.’whitehouse.gov.Page261 ‘the president said both countries had anobligation to upholdreligious freedom.’Quoting from the Indianconstitution,Obamaadded, ‘YourArticle25saysallpeopleareequallyentitledtothefreedomofconscienceandhave right to freely profess and practise and propagate religion. In both ourcountries, in all countries upholding with freedom of religion is the utmostresponsibility of the government but also the responsibility of every person’.TimesofIndia27January2015.Page261‘ModiaddressedarallyoftheNationalCadetCorps...Hiswordswerereassuringlyinclusive.pmindia.gov.in.Page261 ‘Thedarkbluejackethewore.. .hadhisownnamestitchedathousandtimes’.indiatoday.in26January2014.Page261‘Areaders’pollconductedbyTimemagazinehadhimwayoutinfrontastheirchoiceforpersonoftheyear’.time.com19November2014.

ChapterTwenty:TheIndomitableWill

Page 264 ‘The decline and fall of the Congress . . . thrown in thewastebasket.’bbc.com,17May2014.Page266 ‘Theregoesmypeople . . . Imust follow them, for Iam theirleader.’AdvanceStudyontheHistoryofModernIndia(Volume3,1920-1947),G.S.Chhabra,2005,LotusPress,p.49Page 266 ‘You could see Modi as standing on a balloon of hot air.’Interviewwiththeauthor.

Acknowledgements

TheprospectofgettingsodeeplyimmersedinIndianpoliticsoverarelativelyshortspaceoftimewasadauntingone.I’mrelievedtosaythatitturnedouttobebothrewardingandenjoyable.Allthesame,IfeelIshouldmovetheratherclichédauthor’sline–‘theresponsibilityforanyremainingerrorsisentirelymine’–rightupheretothetop.Ihad a lot to learn but, thankfully, I had the support of someoutstanding people who were patient in the face of my constantquestionsandskilful inhelpingmenavigatetheintricaciesofIndiantraditions and culture. My two researchers, Gaurav Bhatele andGeetikaSehmay,werehardworking,wellinformedintheirrespectivefields of expertise – politics and themedia – and great fun.VineshChandel did some valuable digging into the detail of the campaignand Alex Cisneros helped me make sense of Indian and Britishconstitutional law. JaskiratSinghBawakindlyallowedus tousehisexcellent unpublished photographs from the campaign trail.Unusually,Ihadtwoeditorsandtheyweretwoof thebest. Itwasahuge pleasure to be reunited with Rupert Lancaster at Hodder &Stoughton in London. He knew what to expect as we’d workedtogetherunpicking another toweringpolitical figure adecade ago inTheSpinDoctor’sDiary.ThomasAbrahamatHachetteIndiainDelhiprovidedjustthelevelofguidanceIneeded,eggingmeonandreiningme in where appropriate. The other members of the team in bothoffices were a model of professionalism and efficiency. My agent,BrooDohertyat theDHHLiteraryAgency, lookedaftermewithallthegoodsenseandgoodhumourthatIhavecometodependupon.IamfortunateinhavingmanygoodIndianfriendshereinBritainwhowereabletohelpmemakesenseofthecountrytheyalllove,despite,or perhaps that should be including, all its idiosyncrasies andfrustrations.SpecialmentionshouldgotoHarjeetJohal,KapilGuptaandSiddoDeva.Thisbookwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutthe

helpandcooperationofNarendraModihimselfandmembersofhisstaffattheprimeminister’soffice,inparticularDrHirenJoshi,NiravShah and Yash Gandhi. And it benefitted enormously from thecontributions of all thosewho agreed to be interviewed–ministers,partyworkers,campaignvolunteersandprofessionaladvisers,aswellas journalists, academics and others. Where appropriate they havebeennamed in the text. In somecases they felt theneed tohelpmeanonymously, but I am equally grateful to all. My partner, JamesProctor, andmy family, putup asusualwithmy longabsences andwiththefactthatmyheadwassoofteninIndiawhilemyfeetwereinEurope. Narendra Modi is a seemingly indefatigable workaholic.Whatsometimesfeltlikelongandtiringdaysformewereasnothingcompared to his schedule. I hope I have done justice to hisachievementswithouteveroverlookingthedownsides.Icomefromavery different cultural and political background, butwhile there areverymany things on which I doubt we would ever agree, we bothadmire democracy and thrive on the excitement of elections. That,aboveall,iswhatthisbookisabout.

YoungModiintheuniformoftheNationalCadetCorps.

Duringthe'Emergency'periodModiwentindisguisetoavoidarrest.

AthisschoolinVadnagar,Modi'sschoolteacher,PrahladPatel,remembersan'averagestudent'.

Modimadehisnameasaproficientorganiser.WithchiefministerPremKumarDhumalandprimeministerAtalBihariVajpayee.

Fifty-ninepeoplewerekilledintheGodhratrainburningin2002whichledtotheGujaratriotsandover1,000deaths.

Modi'sGujaratre-electioncampaignin2012wasvitaltohischancesofbecomingprimeminister.

ModiimprovedGujarat'simagewithprojectslikesolarpowertoprovidetwenty-four-hourelectricity.

Welcomingvisitorsto'VibrantGujarat2013',includingBritishHighCommissioner,SirlamesBevan(bottomright).

AfterbeingelectedprimeministerModireceivedatraditionalblessingfromhismother,Hiraba.

HisfirstspeechtothenationatDelhi'sRedFortonthe68thanniversaryofIndependencesetouthisplanstotransformIndia.

Theanti-corruptioncampaignersBabaRamdevandAnnaHazarehelpedpreparethegroundforModi'selection.

InSeptember2013ModiwasmadeBJPcandidateforprimeminister.WithSushmaSwaraj,RajnathSinghandArunJaitley.

Modi'smentorL.K.AdvaniatthefestivalofHoli.HeresistedModi'scandidature.

Modiloveshead-dresses,butheneverworeaMuslimskullcap.

BombsexplodedinandaroundthesiteofModi'srallyinPatnakillingsixpeople.

Thecrowdwasoneofthelargestofthecampaignandmoststayeddespitetheattacks.

Moditooktothestageandappealedforcalmindefianceofthebombers.

Modi's3Dhologramsweretransmittedtoaroundfifteenmillionpeople.

ChatsoverteahighlightedModi'schildhoodasachaiwala.Theydiscussedissuessuchaswomen'ssafety.

Modi'sselfieafterhevotedbroketheelectionrules.

Modilogsonsoonafterwakingup.'Iwasseenasverytechsavvyfromtheearlydays'.

OnlinecampaignsbackedModi'szerotoleranceagenda.

NarendraModiwaspromotedont-shirtslikeSuperman.

SecurityforwomenwasabigissuepromptinghissupporterstomarketaNaMopepperspray.

ModidollswentonsalebasedonObama's.

Moditravelled300,000km.Themediastruggledtokeepup.

RahulKanwalfromHeadlinesToday.Modiwas'greatcopy'.

Modi'scavalcadejammedthestreetsofVaranasiinUttarPradeshafterhewasrefusedpermissionforarally.

TheModimaskandtheBJP'sLotusemblemweretrademarksofthecampaign.

Modigavefewinterviews.Journalistshadtomakedowithlook-alikes.

VotersinAmethi.TheBJPaccusedRahulGandhiofneglectinghisconstituents.

Modimotivatedyoungersupportersacrossthecountry.

Modineededtwohelicopterstoferryhimtoallhisrallies.

Thenewly-formedAAPhadpassionatesupportersbutfailedtobreakthroughattheelection.

WithHughJackmanattheGlobalCitizenFestival,CentralPark.

HeadliningatMadisonSquareGarden,NewYork.

WelcomingPresidentObamaonRepublicDay.Modi'ssuithadhisownnamesewn1,000timesintothepinstripes.

AselfiewithTonyAbbott,MelbourneCricketGround.

WithChinesePresidentXiJinpingatMahatmaGandhi'sashraminGujarat.

SoniaandRahulGandhi,leadersoftheCongressParty.Theyheldtheirseatsbutthepartysufferedhugelosses.

DrManmohanSingh,primeminister2004-14.ThefirstSikhtoholdthejob.

AmitShah,Modi'sclosestcolleaguewhohelpedhimwinamajorityinparliament.

ArvindKejriwal,leaderoftheAAP.Activistturnedpolitician.

'Strength,'saidMahatmaGandhi,'comesfromanindomitablewill'.

NarendraModiprideshimselfonhisappearanceandalwaysmakestimeforthecamera.

Withtheauthorattheprimeminister'sresidence,7RaceCourseRoad,Delhi.

PICTUREACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MostofthephotographsarefromtheNarendraModiofficialwebsite,reproducedbypermission.Additionalsources:AFP/SebastianD’Souza/GettyImages:2aboveright.AP/PressAssociationImages:14belowleft.JaskivatSinghBawa:1middleleft,4aboveandbelowright,8aboveandbelow,9below,10aboveandbelow,11aboveandbelow,14middleright.

BJPGujarat.org:2middleright.BJP.org:6middleright.EPA/JagadeeshNv/Alamy:9aboveright.NaMoGujaratYouTube:6aboveleft.LancePrice:7belowright,16below.Reuters/Corbis:14aboveleft/photoAdnanAbidi.14middleleft/photoB.Mathur,15photoAmitDave.REX/ddpUSA:12above.VibrantGujarat:2below.

INDEX

2Gmobilephonelicencesscandal3DhologrameventsaccesstovillagersdeificationofNM

expenseoflaunchrallylogisticsofNM’scolourfulclothesforshootspopularityofpostponementoflaunchrallyspectacleoftirelessnessofNM

volumeofpotentialvotersreachedvolumeofstaffandvolunteers

2010CommonwealthGames

AAP(AamAadmiParty)acceptsdefeatinVaranasianarchicgovernance

contestingVaranasiconstituencydefeatedonanti-corruptionbillembracingtechnologyformsadministrationwithoutsidesupportfromCongresshumiliatingelectionresultsunreadyforpowerAapkiAdalat(‘YourCourt’)Abbott,TonyAbdullah,OmarAcharya,MosiqiAdani,GautamfinancialsupportforNM

Adityanath,MahanthYogiAdoptaVillagecampaignAdvani,L.K.candidacyforprimeministerlayingthefoundationstonetostatueofSardar

PatelremovedfromBJPparliamentarycommitteeresignationrejectedresistedNM’sselectionforprimeministersignificantroleinNM’sfuturecareeradvertising:politicaladvisers:informationgatheringAgarwal,NareshagriculturalworkersAiyar,ManiShankarattemptedsluronNM’schaiwalapastprivilegedbackgroundAkbar,M.J.

alcoholAllIndiaCongressCommittee(AICC)AllahabadAllphonesArenaAmbani,MukeshAmbedkarNagarAmethiBJPannouncesNMspeakingengagementBJPcampaignmachineelectionresultsGandhistrongholdvideoadvertofNM

AnarchistMan’sPartyanimatedcartoonsanti-corruptionmovementarmy:NM’ssupportforArtofLiving‘VoteforBetterIndia’campaignAsansolAshoka,EmperorassassinationsAssociatedChambersofCommerceandIndustryofIndia(ASSOCHAM)AssociationforDemocraticReforms(ADR)statisticsofMPschargedwithcriminaloffencesastrologersAustraliaautocuesAyodhyaBabriMasjidmosqueBahujanSamajParty(BSP)BalNarendra–ChildhoodStoriesofNarendraModibaldnessBanarasHinduUniversityBanerjee,A.L.

Banerjee,Mamta(’Didi’)BangalorebankaccountsBankuraarrivalofNMillegalimmigrationsecurityspeechbyNMatBankuraStadiumstaffandstaging

tweetingbanners:Bansal,PawanKumarBardia,ManishBaru,SanjayaBedi,SamratBevan,SirJamesBeyoncéBhadohiBhagat,Parindu(’Kakubhai’)Bhagwat,MohanBharatRatnaBharatSwabhimanTrustBharatiyaJanataParty(BJP)seeBJP(BharatiyaJanataParty)BharityaKisanSangh(BKS)BharityaMazdoorSangh(BMS)Bhartiya,ShrikantBhavsar,SanjayBhushan,Sandeepbiometricclocking-indevicesBJP(BharatiyaJanataParty)accusedofignitingantagonismbetweencastes/religionsinUP

accusesCongressofpanderingtoreligiousminoritiesalliancesannouncesNMascandidateforprimeministerannouncesNMtospeakinRahulGandhi’sconstituencyattractingfemalevotersinVaranasicampaigninginVaranasicelebrateselectionvictory(2014)cellularstructurecommandandcontrolstructureculturalreformsdamagingimpactofGujaratriotsdemographicbreakdownofelectionvotes(2014)divisionofconstituenciesdivisionsbetweenmoderatesandhardlinerselectedgovernment(1998)embracingtechnologyequalopportunitiespledgeinmanifestoexpenditureongeneralelection(2014)‘Gooddaysarecoming’campaignslogangoodgovernanceandeconomicdevelopmentprioritiesideologicalprioritiesofRSSinmanifestoinclusiveideologyofHindutvainexperiencedcandidateslandslideelectionvictory(2014)leadershipstrugglelotusflowersymbolmanifestomanifestocommitteemottonaturaldisastersinIndianewelectionstrategyNMoffersresignationnuclearprogrammepartyHQ

partyworkerspoorperformanceinstateby-electionspressofficerelationshipwiththeRSS

resentmenttowardsNM’spersonalisedcampaignreservationsaboutNM’scandidacyforprimeministerseatswoninUttarPradesh(UP)selectingcandidatestostandinconstituenciessettingthepartyagendathroughsocialmediashareofthevote(2014)specialelectioncommittee(2014)stateelectionvictoriesstructureofelectioncampaignmachinesuccessinthesuccessinthestateassemblyelections(2013)supportfromthelowercastestargetingsizeablemajorityinVaranasivisiondocumentblackmoneyBlair,Tonyelectioncampaign(2001)glassesregretsnotactingwithgreaterurgencyBombayStockExchangebombings:PatnaboothsBrandModiseeimage,NM

brandingbriberyBritishgovernmentallowsNMentryintoUKreopensdiplomaticrelationswithNM

Brown,Gordonbudget:disappointmentwithBush,PresidentGeorgeW.businesscommunitydisappointmentwithbudgetfinancialsupportforpolitical

partiesNMrebuildsreputationwithresentmenttowardsNMafterGujaratriotsCAG(CitizensforAccountableGovernance)analysisofelectoralseatsauthorityprovidedbyNM

broadcastingteastallconversationsonlinebuildingtheModiphenomenoncreationofFacebookpagesGPS-enabledvideovansNationalMovementPartnerforironcollectionprojectsupportingvolunteersmanningeventsseealsovolunteersCameron,DavidcongratulatesNMonelectionvictorycampaigningseepoliticalcampaigningTheCaravanmagazinecasteantagonismbetweencastespoliticsandreligionvotingonissuesnotbackgroundCentralBureauofInvestigation(CBI)CentralElectionCommitteeCentralParkCentreforPolicyAlternativesinDelhiChaipeCharchaadherencetoModelCodeofConductdeclaringteaaselectionexpensesdoubtsaboutnewsworthinessFacebookpagesincreasednumberoflocationsmotivationofonlinevolunteerssippingteawithfarmersteastallconversationswithBJPleaderstechnologyproblems‘Women’sEmpowerment’

chaiwala(teavendor),NMattemptedslurofNMbyCongressPartyattemptedslurofNMbyNaresh

AgarwalChaipeCharchaCongressPartyclaimsNMmisledvotersdividendsfrompotentialvotersChandrashekhar,K.M.

Charles,PrinceChauhan,AshishkumarChhewang,ThupstanChinaChristtheRedeemerChristiansCitizensforAccountableGovernance(CAG)seeCAG(CitizensforAccountableGovernance)ClaudiusCleanIndiacampaignClinton,BillClinton,HillaryCNN-IBN

exitpollsCoalgateConfederationofIndianIndustryCongressPartyaccusesNMofcomplicityinGujaratriotsaccusesNMofmisleadingvoterschaiwalajibesagainstNM

complainttoElectionCommissionaboutNM’sspeechinVaranasicorruptionscandalsandpoliticalfailuresdeclinedtonamewould-bePM

embracingtechnologyexperiencesworst-everelectiondefeat(2014)failureofelectionstrategyfieldingseniorfemaleMPshistoricelectoralsuccesseshopingforsafetyfirstcampaignfromBJP

internalinquiryprivilegedbackgroundofleadersprotestatNM’suseofshehzadatodescribeRahulGandhiqueriesBJP’selectioncampaignexpenditureshareofthevote(2014)subsidiesandhandoutstargetingfemale

voterscorruptionanti-corruptionbillanti-corruptionmovementcriminalchargesagainstministersdraftlegislationdroppederadicationfromelectionseradicationfromgovernmentunderNM

happinesssurveyhotlinetoreportallegationsofscandalsinCongressPartyyouth’sfrustrationwithCowProtectionCellcricketICCWorldTwenty20

SachinTendulkar’sfinalmatchcronycapitalismcrowd-sourcingCuomo,MarioDalitsDar,GulzarAhmadDarshandas,MahantBharatdasDelhiGolfClubDelhiLegislativeAssemblydemocracybirthplaceinIndiasuspensionofDeodhar,SunilDesai,DrPranavDesai,NagjiDhankar,OmPrakashdigitalcampaignDikshit,SheilaEconomicTimesEconomisteducationproposalto‘Indianise’

‘saffronisation’ofelection(2014)seegeneralelection(2014)electioncampaign(2014)3DhologrameventsseeadministrationandorganisationadvertisingaimsBJP’scampaignsloganBJP’sstrategytowardsMuslimvotersChaipeCharchaecosystemstructureexternalappointmentsfearsforreligiousminoritiesindependentcampaigndrivenbyNM

inexperiencedcandidatesinnovativetechnologyandsocialmediaITsupportandnetworklocalappeallogisticsofreachingruraldistrictslotusfloweronballotpapermasterclassinmodernelectoralpoliticsmediacoverageNMnamedaschairofcampaigncommitteeNMstandsinVaranasiconstituencyNM’sambitiousviewofwinnableseatsNM’sviewsonopaquestructurephasespresidentialcampaignaboutNM

privateaircraftremarkablevictoryroleoftheRSSselectionofcandidatesseriousagendaofNMsloganssocialmediaseesocialmediastructureofpoliticalmachinestructureof

theBJPsupportforNMfromindependentinstitutionstargetingtheMuslimvotetouring

theconstituenciestrademarkNMone-linerstravellingitineraryofNMwesternmedia’soppositiontoNM’scandidacyseealsochaiwala(teavendor),

NM;IT(informationtechnology);politicalcampaigning;UttarPradesh(UP)ElectionCommissionofIndiaapprovalofadvertsbanningofAmitShahandAzamKhanbanningrallyofBJPinBeniyabaghdistrictofVaranasicallsforpartyspendinglimitscounteringbriberyexpenseshandlingcomplaintsinvestigationintoBJPpracticesinvestigationofBharatSwabhimanTrustmeasurestakentoensurevotingopportunitiesforallcitizensmissingnamesfromelectoralregisterpollingdatesquestionsparties’electionexpensesraisingawarenessandregisteringvotersrulesonpersonalattacksrusesof

politicalpartiesseizureofcash,alcoholanddrugsstrictrulesforcampaignactivitythreatenstobanministersfacingcriminalchargesvolumeofadvertsfromTeamModiElectionInformationCampaignCommittee(EICC)electoratedemandsforstrongleadershipmissingnamesfromregistersizeoftransportationforvoterstypesofvotersEmergency(1975)‘EmpoweringtheSpeciallyAbled’:campaignforumex-servicemanrallyexitpollsexpenses,electionFacebookmessagesupportingNM’sprimeministerialcandidacyNM’sfriendsandfollowerspagescreatedbytheCAG

summaryofNM’sralliesFacebookTalksFaizabadLordRambackdropfarmersfashionseeimage,NM

FekuFirstPostFranklySpeakingFrench,Patrick‘FriendsofBJP’funeralpyresG20meeting(Brisbane)Gandhi,IndiraGandhiMaidan,Patna

Gandhi,MohandasKaramchand(‘Mahatma’)assassination‘afriendofthecapitalists’

leadershipstyleGandhi,PriyankaGandhi,RahulacceptsresponsibilityforelectoraldefeataccusesBJPoftaking‘heftymoney’fromlargecorporationsaccusesNMofshowmanshipcricketaudiencechantingModi’snamecriticisedbyBabaRamdevdeclinesITsupportfromvolunteersdisappointingmaidenelectionspeech(2014)electionspeechatAllIndiaCongressCommittee(2014)failuretoembracesocialmediainexperienceinterviewforFranklySpeakingprogrammemockedbyNMforphotographstakenwiththepoorportraysNMasshowmanprivilegedbackgroundreferredtoas‘shehzada’byNM

toffeemodelsluronGujaratdevelopmenttravellingabroadunderestimatespoweroftheinternetinIndiaunderminedbyNM’sballoonreferencevictimofinternetmischief-makingGandhi,RajivGandhi,SoniaacceptsresponsibilityforelectoraldefeatdeclinesprimeministershipteasedbyNM

Gandhi,YashGandhinagarGanges,River:funeralpyresgeneralelection(2014)anticipationofresultsbriberycountingofvotesexitpollsfinancialbackingforpoliticalpartiesincreasednumberofwomenvotersopeningofpollingstationspartyspendinglimitspollsclosedresultstraditionalritualperformedbyNM

turnoutvictoryspeechofNMseealsoelectioncampaign(2014)GlobalCitizenFestivalglobalsecurity

GoddessGangaGodhraGodse,NathuramGoogleAlertsGoogle:NMseekstoinfluencebrandedcontentGoogleHangoutsGorakhpurGoswami,ArnabGOTV(getoutthevote)cooperationofecosystemgroupsequipmentfor

districtteamshighturnoutfavourablefortheBJPmeasurestakentoensurevotingopportunitiesforallcitizenspaperversionsof

registerspollingagentstransportationforvotersvotingboothsGovindacharya,K.N.

Goyal,PiyushchairedEICCmeetingsathomeresidencecommissionedpublicopinionsurveyorganisedvideoadvertinVaranasipublicopinionsurveyfindingsresponsibilityforpowerandcoalvideoadvertforNM’stalkatAmethiGPS-enabledvideovansGreyniumInformationTechnologiesGuinnessBookofWorldRecordsGujaratBJPopponents’challengeeconomicpictureeconomicdevelopmentelectionresults(2012)electoralsuccessesofNM

electrificationofvillagesGujaratModelinfluenceofNMoneconomicrecoveryGujaratriotsaccusationsofcomplicityagainstNM

allegedinsensitivityofNMtowardsMuslimsinter-racialviolenceanddeathsNMexoneratedbySpecialInvestigationsTeam(SIT)NMexpressesemotioninblogpassengertrainsetonfireSupremeCourtrejectscomplainant’schallengetoSITreportwitnessclaimsofstate’srefusaltohelpGupta,ArvindpartyagendasetbythemediapersuadesBJPleadershiptoembraceIT

Gupta,ShekharGurumurthy,SwaminathanGuruswamy,MohanHague,WilliamhappinesssurveyHaryanaHasan,ProfessorZoyaHazare,AnnaHDFC

HeadlinesTodayHewitt,PatriciaHindiTheHinduHinduBusinessLineHinduismextremistideologyHindutvaseealsonationalismHoover,PresidentHerbertHowModiWonIt(Khare)HumanRightsWatchreportintoGujaratriotshungerstrikesICCWorldTwenty20

image,NMadvertisinganimatedcartoonsduringICCWorldTwenty20brandingclothesasrepresentationofbeliefsfaceoftheelectioncampaign

fashionconsciousforward-lookingUSPofBrandModiglassesimportanceinputfromNMintodesignofadvertsmerchandisingModi-relatedproductsprofessionalismpublicopinionsurveyfindingsrip-offproductssloganst-shirtstwo-pegadvertisingcampaignunderstandingyouthIndiabudgetcorporatedemocracyeconomicgrowtheconomicstabilitypost-electionEmergency(1975)firstpastthepostelectoralsystemandHinduismpeople’sdesireforstrongleadership‘saffronisation’ofsocialconditionstransformationIndiaIndiaTodayIndiaTV

India-USDelhiDeclarationofFriendshipIndianFarmers’UnionIndianIndependenceDayIndianLabourers’UnionIndianNationalCongresssee

CongressPartyinformationgatheringinterviewsIrani,SmritiappointedheadofhumanresourcesdepartmentchallengesNMtoresigncontestsconstituencyinAmethidismissesreligious-basedpolitics‘Indianisation’oftheeducationsystem‘sister’ofNM

ironseeSardarPatelprojectIronManseePatel,SardarVallabhbhaiIT(informationtechnology)3DhologrameventsseeChaipeCharchacrowd-sourcingdigitalcampaigngroupssupportingNM’selectioncampaignModimaskNationalDigitalOperationCell(N-Doc)politicalmischief-makingpoliticalpartiesembracingtechnologyselfiesspecialtelephonenumbertolistentoNM’sRewarispeechtechnicalknowledgeofNM

volumeofonlineusersseealsosocialmediaJackman,HughJagannathaJain,RajeshJain,SreenivasanJaitley,ArundeniescriminalityamongstministersrecoveryofblackmoneyJanataDalUnited(JDU)PartyJangid,PankajJavadekar,PrakashcoheringpartyopinionscontentwithpresscoverageofNM

defendsNM’sspeechinVaranasidefendsNM’sstancewithjournalistsdismissesstoryaboutinappropriateclothingorganisationofthepressofficetimingofinterviewsJay-Z

JanLokpalJDU(JanataDalUnited)PartyJoshi,DrHirenJoshi,DrMurliManoharJoshi,PoornimaJoshi,PrasoonjournalistsseemediaJung,NajeebKailasanathan,Kuniyal(’K.K.’)Kalmadi,SureshKanwal,RahulKarmakar,NirmalKashiVishwanathtempleKeane,JohnKejriwal,ArvindattributesBJPvictorytoCongressPartyerrorsconsultationexercisecomebackinDelhielection(2015)eggsthrownatformsadministrationinDelhi(2013)hotlinetoreportcorruptionNMrefusestoacknowledgereformthroughpoliticsresignationfromofficestandsforelectioninVaranasiconstituencyKerry,JohnKhan,AzamKhare,HarishKishor,PrashantKumar,NitishKumar,SenthilkurtasKyunkiSaasBhiKabhiBahuThiLadwa,ManojLakshmiLal,BharatLal,RamTheLifeandDeathofDemocracy(Keane)LokSabhaelectionseegeneralelection(2014)LordRamlotusflowerMadMenMadhav,RamMadisonSquareGardenMahaNavratriMaharashtraMahesh,B.G.

Major,JohnMandela,NelsonMangeshkar,LatamanifestoesMaroBhagyaVidhataMartinLutherKingJrMemorialMass,UweMauryaHotelMayawatiMcCannIndiamediaavoidanceofTVinterviewsbyNM

corporatecontrolleddominationofnewsheadlinesbyNMfaircoverageofNM

favouredandunfavouredjournalistsofNMimpactofNM’ssocialmediacampaigninterviewofNMonAapkiAdalat

interviewsmasterperformer,NMpaidnewsquotablequotesbyNMRahulGandhiquestionedaboutanti-Sikhriotingself-imposedpurdahbyNMsettingtheBJPpartyagendawalkingoutofinterviewswaryofjournalists,NMMehta,TanmayMencken,H.L.Menna,JoeMeraBharosa(‘MyTrust’)websitemilitary,NM’ssupportfor

minorities,religious:fearsforMissionModelCodeofConductModiBharosa(‘TrustModi’)websiteModi-fyingIndiaModi,Hiraba(NM’smother)ModiKurtaModimaskModi,Narendra24/7politicianacknowledgesthanksfromworldwideleadersappointedchiefministerassemblesinnercircleattractiontomiddle-classIndianwomenavoidsthelimelightbirthandearlyyearschaiwala(teavendor)seechaiwala(teavendor),NM

characterandpresencecomparisontoMargaretThatcherondemocracyinIndiademocraticvalues,developmentofdetachmentmodeeducationegotisticaleradicationofreputationforreligiousextremismexerciseregimeextraordinarymemoryfutureforetoldbyastrologergoodgovernanceandeconomicdevelopmentprioritieshumblebeginningsimageseeimage,NM

internetuserlayingthefoundationstonetostatueofSardarPatelleadershipstylemarriagenomadicwanderingsoratoryskillsoutgrowsRSSrootsoutsiderstatuspatienceofpersonalambition,lackofpersonalsafety,unconcernedaboutphysicalappearancephysiqueplanningandattentiontodetailplauditsandhonourspledgetothepeoplepoliticalcampaigningseepoliticalcampaigningpoliticalprotestagainstEmergencypoliciespoliticalskills,developmentofasprimeministerseeprimeministership,NM

onpublicsurveysrefusedvisatoenterUnitedStatesrelationshipwiththeRSSresignsfromVadodaraseatself-promotionselfiesskilledatturningopposition

criticismstoownadvantageteavendorseechaiwala(teavendor),NMtechsavvythreatonlifetrustinAmitShahvictoryspeech(2014)waryof

journalistswilltosucceedModi,Sombhai(NM’sbrother)‘ModiWave’ModimeterMukherjee,PranabMukhopadhay,NilanjanMurmu,G.C.MuslimsambivalentrelationshipwithIndiacampaigningagainsttheBJPin

VaranasifearsoverNM’selectionasprimeministerpre-plannedattacksagainstinGujaratpreferenceforCongressPartycandidatesprotestsinBritainagainstNM’svisittargetedbyBJPforvotesNadadur,GopalNag,KingshukNaMoinNaMoBrigadeNaMoGujaratNaMoTeaParties

NaMoNumber.comNaqvi,MukhtarAbbasNaqvi,QamarWaheedNationalCadetCorps(NCC)NationalDemocraticAlliance(NDA)NationalDigitalOperationCell(N-Doc)NationalInvestigationAgencyNationalMovementPartnerNationalSecurityGuard(NSG)nationalismattacksonMuslimsdefenceofHinducultureandtraditionsHindutvalovejihadinUttarPradesh(UP)andtheRSS

NaturopathyCellNavratriNayakNDTVNehru,JawaharlalNewAgeVolunteersNewHopeInfotainmentLimitedNewYorkTimesNitiCentralNitiDigitalNizamuddin,ColonelNRIs(Non-ResidentIndians)nuclearprogrammeObama,PresidentBarackguestofhonouratRepublicDaycelebrationswarroominelectoralcampaignOBCs(OtherBackwardClasses)Ogilvy&MatherOvalOfficeOza,ShobhapaidnewsPaisley,ReverendIanPakistanPandey,PiyushadvertssubmittedtotheElectionCommissionmeetingNMforphotoshootspunishingelectionschedulerecruitedbyNM

swiftdecision-makingvideoadvertforNM’stalkatAmethivideoofNM’sdrivetopartycampaignHQ

Pandey,SantoshPappuParekh,DeepakPatel,AhmedPatel,KarsanPatel,KeshubhaiPatel,PrahladPatel,SardarVallabhbhaiintegrationofindependentterritoriesinnewlyindependentIndia‘IronMan’reputationorthodoxHinduismunificationoftheIndiannationseealsoSardarPatelprojectPatnaPepper,JohnHenryPepper’sGhostIllusionpetitionpitribhumi(fatherland)PlanningCommissionpoliticaladvertisingpoliticalassassinationspoliticalcampaigning3DhologrameventsseecommandandcontrolleadershipstylecomparisonofNMtoMargaretThatchercounteringmediamythsaboutNM’sextremismdriveandenergyofNM

ecosystemstructureElectionCommissioninvestigationintofundingimportanceofimagetoNM

leadershipstyleofNMModimaskNM’sfearoflosingtheNM’srefusaltomentionKejriwalbyname

opaquestructureofpartypersonalwebsitestrongleadershipofNMtrustedalliesofNMvictoryspeechbyNMafterwarroomsseealsoelectioncampaign(2014);

publicitypoliticaljokespoliticalpartiescallsfortransparencyoffundingspendinglimitsonpoliticalcampaigningposters:povertyPowell,NancyPRseepublicitypressuregroupspriceinflationprimeministership,NM

100-dayanniversaryreport‘AdoptaVillage’campaignanti-corruption

measuresappearancewithrockstarsinCentralParkchangestoofficepracticeandbureaucracy‘CleanIndia’campaignclocking-inandattendancemonitoringcreatinganewimageforIndiainternationallycriticisedforlackingurgencyculturalreformsdeclinestorespondto‘saffronisation’claimsdecreedbyGoddinnerwithBarackObamadraftanti-corruptionlegislationdroppedeconomicgrowthandslippagefastinggovernmentbudgetinternationalrelationsministerialappointmentsministerialpresentationsministersfacingpre-existingcriminalchargesplanningforstatelegislativeelectionspublicscrutinyradioaddressesrallyatMadisonSquareGardenrecoveryofblackmoneyresidencetalkswithBarackObamaattheOvalOfficevisitsAustraliavisitsBeijingvisitsFortalezavisitsNepalvisitsTokyopublicopinionsurveypublicityBrandModiModispinmachineNaMoGujaratNM’sfreshapproachtocommunicationTVadsandmediacampaignsseealsopoliticalcampaigningpunyabhumi(holyland)PurvanchalQuraishi,S.Y.

Raja,AndimuthuRajyaSabharallies3DhologrameventsseeAllahabad,NM

speakingatAsansol,NMspeakingatBaran,RahulGandhispeakingatBhadohi,NMspeakingatdailyitineraryofNM

Delhi,BabaRamdevspeakingatElectionCommissionbansVaranasirallybyBJP

Gorakhpur,NMspeakingatMadisonSquareGarden,NMspeakingatPatna,NMspeakingatPurvanchal,NMspeakingatRewari,NMspeakingatseealsospeechesRamTempleRamdev,BabaRashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh(RSS)seeRSS(RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh)Ravishankar,SriSriReagan,Ronaldreligionantagonismbetweenreligionsandcasteextremisminter-religiousviolencelovejihadminoritiesandpoliticsseealsoChristianity;Hinduism;MuslimsRepresentationofthePeopleActRepublicDayRepublicanNationalConventionresidence,primeministerRewariRSS(RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh)aimsanalysisofelectoralseatscommitmentofmemberstoModi’scampaignepithetsfascistassociationsgrassrootssupportforBJPinUP

growthinnumbershostilitytoauthoritarianleadershipinfluenceontheBJPlifestyleofmembersmorningmeetings(shakhas)proposalto‘Indianise’

educationsystemprotectionofHinduismpurposeroleinelectioncampaign(2014)socialworkspreadingtheelectoralmessagesuspiciousofNM’sfashionsenseveneerofpoliticalindependencevolunteersRunforUnity

Rushdie,SalmanSahay,SubodhKantSamajwadiParty(SP)Sampath,V.S.SanghParivarseeRSS(RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh)SanskritSardarPatel

projectCAGjoinsaspartnerdistrict-levelcommitteesfoundationstoneofstatueironcollectionNMlaunchesappealforironcontributionRunforUnityvillagedonationsSardesai,RajdeepSarkar,DrSubhasschoolcurriculumsecurityfailuretopreventbombingatPatnaglobalprimeminister’sresidencethreattoNM’slifeselfiesShah,Amitaccusedofexploitinginter-communalviolenceinUP

appointedBJPpartypresidentappointedbyNMtooverseeUPbannedfromspeakingbytheElectionCommissioncriminalchargesagainst

droppedderogatoryreferencetoAzamgarhlovejihadorganiseselectioncampaigninUP

organisesstateelectionvictoriesplansNM’spersonalappearanceatAmethiresponsibleforBJP’ssuccessinUP

trustedbyNMwaryofjournalistsShah,DrNiravShankar,ManiShankar,RaviSriSriSharif,

NawazSharma,A.K.Sharma,ChandrashekharSharma,RajatSharma,Shrikantshehzada(theprince)

Shekhar,ShashiShourie,AruncriticisesNM’slackofurgencypost-electionstruggleinBJPforprimeministerialcandidacyShrivastava,AatishShukla,HimanshuShukla,RajeevSibal,KapilSinghBagga,TajinderPalSinghChandel,OmPrakashSingh,DigvijayaSingh,DrManmohancharacterandpersonalityclaimedSardarPatelwasaCongressmangiftedeconomistinadvertentlyprovidescampaignsloganforBJP

knownasthesilentprimeministerlackedleadershipskillslameduckstatusnewsconferencesoversawrapideconomicgrowthrulesoutthirdtermasprimeministerSingh,HarshvardhanSingh,LalluSingh,RajnathappointedhomeaffairsministercongratulatesNMonelectionvictoryorganisescoordinationcommitteetocollectironrejectsaccusationsofsecretsurveillanceSingh,RanjitSingh,Sanjayslogansachchedinaanewalehain(goodtimesarecoming)Bus,aavetoBJP(Enough,nowitneedstobetheBJP)Jantamaafnahinkaregi(peoplewillnotforgive)SnoopgatesocialmediadisseminationofRewarispeechelectioncampaign(2014)messagesupportingNM’sprimeministerialcandidacynecessityforNM

NMstayingincontrolquashingtheNMmarriagestorysettingthepartyagendaWhatsAppfunctionseealsoFacebook;IT(informationtechnology);TwitterSohoSquareSpecialInvestigationsTeam(SIT)speechesBankuraStadiumby

NM‘IdeaofIndia’byNMIndependenceDaybyNMRewaribyNMTalkatoraStadiumbyRahulGandhiVaranasibyNMwidecoverageinmediaandsocialmediaseealsoralliesTheSpinDoctorsDiary(Price)Srivastava,Aatishoninter-communalviolenceinUP

StatueofLibertyStatueofUnitySteiner,MichaelStingstockmarket:disappointmentwithbudgetStraitsTimesStraw,JacksuicidessuperstitionSupremeCourtcriminalchargesagainstministerssetsupSpecialInvestigationsTeamintoGujaratriotsSupriyo,BabulsurveillancesurveysSwaraj,SushmaTAG

TalkatoraStadiumTataMotorsTata,RatanTata,SirRatanteavendorseechaiwala(teavendor),NM

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Tully,MarkTVinterviewscarefullyplannedfirstnationalinterviewcampaignbyNM

NDTVexcludedNMwalksout(2007)NMwaryofTimesNowTwitterNM’sfriendsandfollowerstweetingNM’sspeechatBankuraStadiumUKIndiaBusinessCouncilundercovermissionsUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyUnitedProgressiveAlliance(UPA)UP(UttarPradesh)seeUttarPradesh(UP)USImmigrationandNationalityActUttarPradesh(UP)BJPaccusedofignitingantagonismbetweencastesorreligionsBJPseatsboothscampaigngoodiescapsforcampaigncasteandreligioncastepolitics‘darkvillages’

economicdevelopmentpromisedbytheBJPeconomicmigrantselectoralsignificanceoffemalevotersgeographicand

populationcomplexityhistoricallystrongbaseforCongressPartyinter-communalviolencelovejihadModiAaneWalaHai(‘Modi’sarrivalisimminent’)Modi-ShahstrategyofHinduconsolidationNMsupportsdevelopmentforMuslimspoliticsofpoorperformanceinstateby-electionsbyBJP

roleofBJPininter-communalviolenceshiftingloyaltiesstatelegislativeelections(2012)untouchedbyeconomicdevelopmentVadodaraVaishnav,MilanVajpayee,AtalBihariVajpayee,LaxmikantVaranasiattractionofNMtowomenvotersBJPorganisescampaigndrivetoheadquartersBJPrally

bannedinBeniyabaghareabrawlsbetweenyoungerBJPandAAPvolunteerscelebrationofBJP’selectionvictoryconcernsofthepeopleconstituencyrepresentedbyNM

crowdstohearNM’sspeechHinduandMuslimvotersNMblamesCongressPartyforrallybanNMwinsseatnominationdayvideoadvertsofcampaigndriveweaversVarshney,AshutoshVerma,DrA.K.

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votingboothsWankhedeStadiumwarroomsWeavers’CellWembleyConferenceCentre:talkgivenbyNM

WhatsAppwomen’ssafetyWorldBankIndia’seconomicgrowthWorldEconomicOutlookUpdate(IMF)WorldEconomicSituationandProspects(UN)www.cobrapost.comwww.gulail.comwww.modimania.comwww.narendramodi.comwww.narendramodi.inwww.pappupedia.comwww.pheku.comwww.thenamostore.comYadav,AkhileshYogiAdityanath,MahantyouthanimatedcartoonsduringICCWorldTwenty20

demandsfrompoliticsNMtakesselfieonphoneforNM’sconnectionwithrepresentationonBJP’snationalexecutiveunderstandingvotedpredominantlyfortheBJP

YouTubeNM’sRewarispeech