Gujarat election 2017: BJP vigorously promotes Brand Modi to counter Congress' offensive

The BJP is contesting perhaps the most prestigious electoral battle in Gujarat after it came to power at the centre by winning a historic mandate in 2014 Lok Sabha election. As both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah come from Gujarat, the stakes are high for the party ruling at the centre and in the poll-bound western state.

Though the BJP is going to polls with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as its face, PM Modi remains the mascot and the overarching personality around whom revolves the party's complete electoral strategy. In fact, the party's 'Mission 150' has been set by keeping Modi at the centre.

MODI THE MASCOT

Making the Gujarat election a prestige battle, Amit Shah said the voters of the state gave 127 of the 182 seats to the BJP when Modi was the chief minister in 2002. Now that he is the prime minister, the people should give 150 seats to the party, he added.

On his part, the prime minister too is investing extensive time and energy in his home state. He has been visiting Gujarat quite often much before the election was announced. He has launched several projects like the ground-breaking of bullet train and inaugurated others like the Ghogha-Dahej ro-ro (roll on-roll off) ferry service and Sardar Sarovar Dam.

The election has become a do-or-die battle for the BJP , particularly for PM Modi and Amit Shah. The party has gone all out to counter the Congress which has launched an aggressive campaign against it.

BRAND MODI

The BJP continues to project and publicise 'Brand Modi' to attract voters in Gujarat, particularly on the social media. In the latest endeavour, the party has released a short film on Facebook extolling the prime minister.

The four-minute video is slugged 'Dekhiye kya kehta hai vikas - Main hoon vikas, main hoon Gujarat' (See what development says - I am development, I am Gujarat), with hashtags 'ProudToBeGujarati' and 'ProudToBeIndian'.

The documentary is set in a gents' saloon. It starts with a journalist calling Modi a "dictator".

To this, another client waiting for his turn in the saloon stands up and gives a long lecture to the journalist and his friend. This person extols Modi and derides leaders like Congress president Sonia Gandhi, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and Samajwadi Party's founder leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The Modi supporter takes a jibe at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress. He says Modi could have kept silent like his predecessor and just signed on files. Or, he could have indulged in corruption.

He talks about the significant decisions taken by the Modi government such as opening of bank accounts under the Jan Dhan scheme, demonetisation, checking black marketing and surgical strikes.

He says, "These were suicidal steps. Just imagine the consequences if the system had not supported Modi on these measures!"

Singing paeans on Modi, he says the PM wakes up at 5 am, has not taken a single day's holiday in these three years and goes to meet the soldiers on the borders every Diwali.Taking a swipe at journalists, he says the prime minister does not throw cocktail parties for them and does not take them along with on foreign trips.

The Modi supporter dwells on the dynasty politics and the charges of nepotism against the opposition leaders. He says members of Modi's family did not get flats or land nor they have gone on foreign trips. "The children of Modi's brothers have not even seen how an aeroplane looks like from inside," he says.

He goes on to talk about the centre's Ujjwala scheme under which LPG gas connections are given to targeted sections of the society and surrendering of gas subsidy by the affluent families and the Swachh Bharat and Make In India campaigns.

The person attacks Lalu for helping sons in politics, Mulayam for favouring members of his family and Sonia Gandhi for favouring Rahul.

"If Modi fails today, no future PM will dare fight corruption. He will surrender," he says.Convinced with the person's arguments, the journalist says he will do a story on this. He asks for the person's contact number. "Main hoon vikas, main hoon Gujarat. Save kar lena (I am development, I am Gujarat. Save this," he says, repeating Modi's slogan.

RAHUL GANDHI'S AGGRESSION

The BJP's counter-attack came after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi too increased the frequency of his visits to Gujarat. Moreover, he is seen in an attacking mode, trying to corner the BJP over issues of development and economy, such as calling Goods and Services Tax (GST) as "Gabbar Singh Tax".

Besides attacking the BJP and Modi to queer the ruling dispensation's pitch, Rahul is seeking to increase Congress' votes. He is visiting temples in a bid to play soft Hindutva. He has also been courting the troika of youth activists - Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti chief Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakore and pro-Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani.

Thakore has already rejoined the Congress. Patel is still flirting with the Congress. Mevani has pledged his support to the main opposition party, though not explicitly.

Besides the aggression on the ground, the Congress is on the forefront in attacking the BJP on social media. From making 'Vikas gando thayo chhe' (Development has gone crazy) viral on the social media to Rahul's Twitter handle @OfficeOfRG getting super active, the Congress is not leaving any stone unturned to hurt the BJP.

BJP'S RETORT

Initially, the BJP was taken by surprise by the Congress' unprecedented aggression. It took some time to find a suitable response to counter the rival's charge. Senior leaders like Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Amit Shah and Rupani failed to give a befitting response.

However, the ruling party slowly got its act together. It was left to Modi to launch 'Hoon chhun vikas, hoon chhun Gujarat' (I am development, I am Gujarat) to present a credible counter to Congress' 'Vikas gando thayo chhe' campaign.

The BJP is seeking to take the social media battle on another level. The Gujarati 'asmita' (pride) is back in focus.