Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi: A Political Phenomenon


Narendra Damodardas Modi, popularly known as Narendra Modi is the current Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat and the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections. He was selected by L.K Advani, the leader of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in 2001 to give a direction to the election campaign in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Mr. Modi was elected as Chief Minister of Gujarat on October 7th, 2001 and is the longest serving Chief Minister of the state. In the 2012 Gujarat legislative assembly election he won his fourth constituency term as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

A career that started as an errand runner for the RSS (Hindu Right wing group) is now perhaps on the way to reaching its zenith. Yes, Mr. Narendra Damodardas Modi has walked quite a distance wearing unflinching confidence on his sleeves. The Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate is a fascinating case study as the man opens up equal number of avenues for his critics as well as admirers. The man is admired for his economic policies and growth scenario in Gujarat, but he also bears flak for the dismal state of the Human Development Index in Gujarat. As the pendulum of the verdict sways to and fro for him, let's have a deeper look into Narendra Modi's biography.

Humble Beginnings

The idea of struggle was never very distant for Modi. He used to run a tea stall till the time RSS inducted him as a full-time member. With whatever minimal training he received from the party's associates, he surged ahead and exhibited enough capability to be given the charge of the ABVP (the student wing of RSS). His diligence and dedication towards the party hardly ebbed despite the fact that he was simultaneously pursuing a Master's degree in Political Science. This 'average student' from Vadnagar tutored himself to take greater steps on a national level.

Family

Although there isn't enough about Modi's personal life in the public domain, the political discourse sometimes throws up bits of facts and stories. He was born into a middle class family of six in Vadnagar in Mehsana District (then Bombay state) to Damodardas Mulchand Modi and Heeradben Modi. He was bethrothed when quite young, but chose to walk away from the marriage and has remained a bachelor.

Early days in Politics

Narendra Modi was drawn to politics in his early teens and was a member of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). During the 1960's India-Pakistan war, even though he was only a young boy, he volunteered to serve soldiers traveling through railway stations. As a youth, he became a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, a student body involved in anti-corruption. After having worked full time with them, he was then nominated as its representative in the BJP. Modi was also a campaigner in the RSS during his years in college and took on the task of encouraging the party members. Partnering with Shankersingh Vaghela, Modi began a strong cadre base in Gujarat. Narendra Modi has come from a humble background and is known for his simple lifestyle. He has a reputation of being a workaholic and introvert. Mr. Modi has tried to change his image from that of a Hindu Nationalist politician to that of a sincere administrator.