Demonetisation: BJP's Big Gamble

BJP believes the demonetisation gamble will pay off well for the party in the long run.

- Pratul Sharma

Prime Minister Narendra Modi first hinted at a surgical strike against the black money during a function for the disabled in Vadodara on October 22. He told the gathering in Gujarati that his government was able to generate ₹65,000 crore under the voluntary income disclosure scheme a few weeks earlier. “Imagine, if a surgical strike was made against black money, how much money will tumble out,” he told a receptive audience.

When Modi did the ‘strike’ on November 8, he chose himself to announce it, thus becoming the face of the new measure, unlike in the covert operation in the Pakistan occupied Kashmir, which he left to the Army and external affairs ministry officials to talk about.

Modi had played his biggest political gamble since he became prime minister. His strategy has been to communicate directly to the people and keep the focus on the poor. In the first 15 days since he announced the demonetisation, Modi turned emotional twice—once even publicly during a rally in Goa, seeking support for his move. He evoked his humble origins as a tea seller as he asked for support from the public, promising the difficulties would not last longer than 50 days.