Page 7 - Seniorstoday Aug 2024 Issue

If ever there was a win-win situation, the Modi. The message was: clean, corruption-
Lok Sabha 2024 election was probably
the biggest in recent times. The BJP won,
yet it didn’t truly triumph. The Congress-
INDIA coalition got large numbers, yet
their victory wasn’t enough to give them
the power to govern. The real winner was
clearly the Indian voter.
The Indian electorate has matured, and
this election is evidence that rhetoric
alone no longer suffices. The dance of
democracy is well understood, and the
electorate knows its steps. We now have
a strong government and a reasonably
robust Opposition. The responsibility of
ensuring effective and smooth governance
now lies with both sides. Mere numerical
strength in Parliament is not enough to
guarantee a successful term for the nation.
The onus for achieving that rests on both
the government and the Opposition. As the
ruling party, the NDA bears the greater
responsibility.
We need peacemakers from both sides.
The NDA must take the lead, making
sincere and genuine overtures to the
Opposition to resolve issues and foster an
atmosphere of goodwill.
The decisive leadership of Mr Narendra
Modi was a breath of fresh air when he
took charge in 2014. As the Chief Minister
of Gujarat, Mr Modi tolerated no nonsense
and kept the bureaucracy in check. Every
secretary was on call between 9 and 9:30 in
the morning, available for queries from Mr
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #62 | AUGUST 2024
free governance. In fact, if anyone was
setting up a factory, Mr Modi would
ensure that someone would follow up
and confirm that things were progressing
smoothly. No other state offered this level
of administration. Remarkably, even
the common man had access to the Chief
Minister, which served as a deterrent to
potential bribe-seekers.
Amidst both praise and criticism, there
is no denying that Mr Modi’s leadership
style and determination to propel India
forward have garnered attention, not only
within the nation but also on the global
stage. His achievements have solidified his
position as one of India’s most influential
and impactful leaders, following in the
footsteps of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and
Indira Gandhi. He is a leader known to all
Indians—whether in cities, small towns or
rural areas. His following is one that very
few leaders have achieved on the national
stage. I have watched on television the
roadshows that Mr Modi participated in,
with thousands of people lining the streets,
waving and cheering for him.
Among the Indian diaspora, Mr Modi
is a popular leader, as evidenced by the
sheer number of people who attend his
events. Critics might claim that the BJP
works diligently behind the scenes to boost
attendance, but the fact remains that people
do show up, filling stadiums to capacity.
Image Courtesy: bbc.com
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