On The Line Between Hero And Fall Guy

As Modi’s consigliere, Amit Shah bears the wounds of Delhi, Bihar. More failure would be disaster. Critics inside are keeping the score.

- Prarthna Gahilote

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.