Erroneous Calculation Pushes Modi From Hero To Zero

I highlighted the popularity of Prime Minister Modi with special reference to his efforts in combating the pandemic. But, we are now witnessing how a hugely popular politician becoming ‘hero to zero’ in less than a month mainly due to his erroneously calculated political decisions against a national health calamity

- Dr. Ranga Kalansooriya

“I’ve never seen such huge crowds” a jovial Indian Premier Narendra Modi tweeted after witnessing a massive crowd at an election rally in Asansol, West Bengal last Saturday (24), the day country recorded more than 234,000 new Covid19 cases and thousands of deaths mainly due to lack of oxygen in hospitals for the suffering patients.

It was barely a month ago, delivering a public speech in Colombo, I highlighted the popularity of Prime Minister Modi with special reference to his efforts in combating the pandemic. But, we are now witnessing how a hugely popular politician becoming ‘hero to zero’ in less than a month mainly due to his erroneously calculated political decisions against a national health calamity.

By the beginning of this year, PM Modi was commanding an unprecedented popularity of 74%, even after seven years in power, in his second term. Maintaining popularity of an elected political leader is a tough challenge whereas the popularity starts diminishing from the day two in his or her office. But, Modi has proved this logic untrue. His Hindutva ideology and craftsmanship in touching the cultural and religious sensitivities against liberal democratic values has kept him on the top of the popularity indexes. Laying of the foundation stone to the Ram temple in Ayodhya last August brought him further up in the popularity ladder – albeit his alleged involvement in the demolishing of Babri Masjid Mosque in Ayodhya in 1992. Though his critics were skeptical about his policies on Covid-19 interventions, many believed he was doing well until mid-April.