“It Is Clear The BJP Will Now Revert To Its Core Message: Modi As Hindu Hriday Samrat”: Shashi Tharoor

In a social media post, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor questioned the political trajectory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the Prime Minister gears up to inaugurate the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22 and the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14. Tharoor anticipates the imminent announcement of elections following these events.

Tharoor contends that the upcoming 2024 elections will witness a strategic shift in the BJP”s narrative. Reflecting on the past, he recalls how Modi was presented to the Indian electorate in 2009 as the harbinger of economic development, the CEO of Gujarat Inc., promising prosperity for all. However, with the narrative faltering after the controversial demonetization move in 2019, the Pulwama terrorist attack provided an opportunity for Modi to shift the focus towards national security during the 2019 elections.

In 2024, Tharoor suggests that the BJP is returning to its core message, projecting Narendra Modi as a “Hindu Hriday Samrat” – a leader with a heart for Hindus. This shift prompts Tharoor to raise pertinent questions about the unfulfilled promises of “achhe din,” the commitment to create 2 crore jobs annually, and the pledged economic growth that was meant to uplift the socio-economic status of the masses.

Tharoor questions the trajectory of Modi”s leadership, asking what happened to the promises of putting disposable income into the pockets of every Indian and fostering economic development for the lower socio-economic strata. As the political landscape shapes up for the 2024 elections, Tharoor foresees a contest between the BJP”s emphasis on Hindutva and the need for popular welfare.