Only Jobs Can't Tackle Unemployment

Only Jobs Can't Tackle Unemployment

- Dipankar Kumar

Prime Minister NarendraModi's charisma has cata-pulted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form governments in a majority of States. Another reason for the sweeping success of the BJP is its national president Amitbhai Anilchandra Shah, popularly known as Amit Shah. The 52-year-old BJP leader's organisational skills and meticulous planning have transformed the BJP, mostly limited to the Hindi heartland and patronised by the upper castes earlier, into a panIndia party, reaching out to a wide cross-section of castes and communities.

Mr Shah, a biochemistry graduate from Ahmedabad's CU Shah Science College, started off helping his father in his PVC pipes business. He also worked as a stock-broker and was associated with cooperative banks in Ahmedabad. However, his long-time association with the RSS the parent organisation of the BJP nudged him to opt for a political career.

Joining the BJP in 1986, Mr Shah made his way up in the party through sheer hard work. He served as home minister and held several portfolios in Mr Modi's government in Gujarat. Mr Modi's brilliant victory in the 2014 general election brought Mr Shah's organisational skills to the fore. In the same year, he was elected the BJP's national president. Since then, the BJP has been winning State after State - except for setbacks in Delhi and Bihar - culminating in the thumping victory in Uttar Pradesh in March.

Taking time off his busy schedule, Mr Shah shares his views on GST, economic reforms and the Modi government's achievements in a wide-ranging interview with Dipankar Kumar.

GST, one of the major tax reforms, seems to have spread uncertainty among the business community...