As Modi’s consigliere, Amit Shah bears the wounds of Delhi, Bihar. More failure would be disaster. Critics inside are keeping the score.
Back in 1952, as Pearl Bailey was scorching Billboard with his chartbuster Takes Two To Tango, who would have imagined that at a remove of six decades (and a few cultures) from that event, India’s Narendra Modi, only two years old then, would make that dictum the mantra of his political life. call it an insurance policy, or even a hedge fund.
From his innings in Gujarat to the 20 months he has been prime minister, Modi has made sure that trusted lieutenant Amit Anilchandra Shah stays by his side. More of that was on display on January 24 when Shah was re-elected unopposed as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president for three years. That is till 2019, when Modi will seek a second term for himself as prime minister.
Modi indeed guaranteed a second innings for Shah, overriding objections from the Sangh and the party. For over four months, he rallied with the RSS for Shah’s reappointment—not so much because Shah’s performance as BJP chief has been flawless, but because, if Modi has to lead in 2019, Shah must be there to watch his back. But Shah’s second term will not be as easy as the first, it seems: some BJP-watchers are convinced his utility as a fall guy must also have been considered during his appointment.
This story is from the February 08, 2016 edition of Outlook.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 08, 2016 edition of Outlook.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
My Secular Mentor
A rare psychologist of Indian culture, Sudhir Kakar leaves behind seminal works that will have relevance for many generations
Battle of the Bahubalis
Gangsters in Bihar no longer enjoy the kind of dominance that they did in the 90s, but that has not kept them away from politics
Memories of Riots
Have frequent communal tensions changed the social fabric of Bihar?
Didi's Achilles Heel
Mamata Banerjee stays the course but her party, plagued by corruption charges, spins out of control
Memory Metamorphosis
What happened on March 14, 2007 in Nandigram? People still ask this question as they take part in the dance of democracy
Minority Report
He has not lost the Dhubri seat in Assam since 2009. Now he is fighting for political survival as Bengali Muslims look to favour the Congress
THE POWER OF PURPOSE
Doing good is good business as it transcends bottom lines and impacts lives positively, yielding profits that go beyond numbers.
CURRENT FARMING METHODS ARE EXACERBATING CLIMATE CHANGE
Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) project is supporting transition of 850,000 farmers covering 377,801 hectares of land and operating in 3730 villages. \"Natural farming is in harmony with nature. It is a holistic land management practice that leverages the power of photosynthesis in plants\", says Mr. T Vijay Kumar, a retired IAS officer, who is the Executive Vice Chairman of Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, a non-profit organization set up by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2014. Since 2016, this platform has been utilized to integrate and promote APCNF activities, aimed at fostering the overall development and empowerment of farmers. Excerpts from an interview with Mr T Vijay Kumar:
IN PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABILITY
Harshavardhana Gourineni, Executive Director, Amara Raja Energy & Mobility Ltd, in an interview shares how through its products and operations the company is helping reduce carbon footprints and meet SDGs. Excerpts:
COOLING NO MORE A LUXURY, BUT A NECESSITY
With the rise in demand of air conditioners due to heat stress, sustainable air conditioning is the way forward to bring relief to people as well as manage emissions