I have written in the past about the need for a single party to get to 275 seats in the Lok Sabha in the next election so we can get to the business of governance without being constrained by regional satraps wanting their say in every policy. I don’t think I went far enough in outlining what it will take to transform India’s policy future.
First, we need a massive wave of anti-Congressism. People in India need to realise that the real enemy of economic growth is the current Congress. It is their policies through the decades under the dynasty that have kept India poor. This doesn’t seem obvious to many voters since they still keep voting for the Congress in large numbers.
Second, we need to put our faith in a leader who has demonstrated leadership and delivered results in the past decade. That leader is Narendra Modi. Gujarat’s model of governance and development needs to be replicated at a national level if India has to get out of this trap of sub-standard performance.
In this context, it is worth reading what William Antholis of the Brookings Institute wrote recently about Modi after a meeting:
In person, Modi comes across as an effective administrator, a proud Indian nationalist, and a committed if not zealous Hindu. He also is a policy maven—introverted, precise, and even passionate about the most technical of subjects. On almost all of these issues, his Gujarat is pushing, not following, New Delhi and India.
…he is a talented and effective political leader, and will continue pushing New Delhi and not following. He has successfully tackled some of India’s toughest problems, but also has touched its most sensitive nerves. He is wrestling with major global challenges, with all the complexities that implies for a man with strong nationalist convictions. One thing is certain— he will continue to be a force in Indian politics.”
