Modi, Shah may know how to win polls. But here’s why they still need Rajnath and Gadkari

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah know how to win elections. But politics is as much about electoral battles as the art of governance — a craft they are yet to master. Which is why even this formidable duo cannot do without two of their most seasoned and grounded hands — Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, especially when a crisis is at their doorstep. The farmers’ protest is set to enter its third week and looks far from getting resolved even after multiple rounds of negotiations between the Modi government and farmers’ representatives.

There are a multitude of factors that make Rajnath and Gadkari near-indispensable to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre, a fact both the prime minister and the home minister are well aware of. Rajnath and Gadkari bring the bulk of experience to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s poor bench-strength — they are seasoned, grounded, have a deep understanding of politics, are doers and at the same time amiable and respected across the political spectrum. Importantly, contrary to the rumour mill, the two are in no position to, or perhaps even keen to, stage any sort of a ‘coup’ against Modi or Shah, thus bringing in no danger of instability.

Rajanth Singh, though defence minister, has been roped in to manage the farmers’ crisis, and is now playing a key role in handling it along with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. This isn’t the first time Singh has stepped in to help the Modi-Shah duo during an administrative low.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, meanwhile, is a man for all seasons and reasons. He, perhaps, is the only minister in the Union cabinet with as much domain expertise as political acumen and the ability to charm even the critics. His powers may have been clipped in the ministry but he is still politically indispensable.

Why Modi-Shah is not enough

That Narendra Modi and Amit Shah know their politics, their elections and their ability to appeal to the Indian voter is now a fact universally acknowledged. They have sailed their way through in elections, nationally as well as in states.

What they are yet to grasp fully — despite their long Gujarat stint — is the craft of governance. In a democracy, sustaining one’s grip on power requires negotiating, reaching out and giving your rivals and critics the confidence of sitting across the table to talk to you.

Modi and Shah, however, are polarising figures. The ability to reach out to and pacify adversaries is hardly their forte. Most critics and rivals don’t find it palatable to sit across the table to iron out the differences with them. Policy making, implementation and managing the consequences of tough decisions are key to remaining in government. But Modi and Shah are way too political and focussed on what may yield them electoral dividends to manage all aspects alone, and efficiently.

Narendra Modi is loved by his voters. Having covered elections widely since Modi burst onto the national scene in 2013, I can vouch for the fact that he can pull off a lot of gaffes. Demonetisation, for instance. But the raging farmer protests show why the ‘Modi is enough’ mantra cannot and will not work always.

The list of issues where the Modi government and the opposition parties haven’t seen eye to eye is long — abrogation of Article 370, the Triple Talaq law, the Citizenship Amendment Act, the constant tussle over the implementation of Goods and Services Tax, the handling of Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control and the bickering about Covid management. Disagreements are one thing, but having acrimonious equations quite another. Modi and Shah don’t believe in talking to those who don’t agree with them, and due to this approach, the Opposition and other critics have also decided that engaging with them isn’t an option.

What, therefore, is needed is a team of seasoned politicians with acceptability across party lines, who can fill in during such extreme situations.

Besides crisis and criticism management, what a government also needs to focus on is the ‘doing’. It needs to have ministers who understand domains and are efficient to get things done. Just Narendra Modi and Amit Shah can neither have the bandwidth nor the knowledge to manage every aspect of governance. But given its underwhelming human resource pool even that is a serious challenge for the present-day BJP.

Why Rajnath

The farmers are angry over the three new farm laws, and the politics of the issue has added just the dollop of fuel the fire needed. Struggling to douse the fire, Modi-Shah have turned to Rajnath — a farmers’ leader, especially because Tomar is a relative political lightweight. In fact, Rajnath has been working in the shadows, helping chalk out the government’s strategy to mollify the protesting farmers. As early as October, Rajnath had flaunted his ‘kisan ka beta‘ side, assuring farmers their interests won’t be hurt.

This isn’t the first time Rajnath Singh has stepped in. When the Opposition was gunning for the government over the India-China standoff in Ladakh, especially after PM Modi’s confusing statement on the issue, it was Rajnath’s calm, measured yet firm statement in both Houses of Parliament that managed to pacify the political rivals and put forth the government’s cohesive stand.

Singh has served as a peacemaker with opponents and allies alike. This makes him a must-have in the Modi government.

And why Gadkari?

Rajnath’s cabinet colleague Nitin Gadkari, known as the ‘Highways Man’ for his work in Maharashtra, is of the same breed — congenial, politically shrewd, competent and with the innate ability to speak his mind, but without making enemies. Both Rajnath and Gadkari are hardcore RSS men, and sit deep into the Sangh ecosystem.

Gadkari has among the most crucial portfolios in this government — MSME, and roads and highways. Modi and Shah need implementers, those who are able to cut the red tape. At the heart of Modi’s politics is vikas with infrastructure development being a key aspect. No surprise then that despite not being thick as thieves, Modi has invested his faith in Nitin Gadkari.

Recall the recent, unabashed dressing down Gadkari gave to officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), targeting the bureaucracy’s slow pace of work, and you will know why for a man like Narendra Modi, who calls himself kaamdar and takes pride in doing work, this minister is crucial.

Modi and Shah may not consider Singh and Gadkari to be in their absolute inner trusted circuit, but they know they have no one else to fall back on. Arun Jaitley was one such asset. But after him, this government is left with not many options who can act as troubleshooters. The two former BJP presidents, therefore, may remain more in the shadows but are critical to the functioning of Modi 2.0.

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