BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, in sweeping victory, won from both his constitutencies in Vadodara adn Varanasi. Recording its best ever performance in its 34-year existence, the BJP on its own was leading in 276 seats, three more than the required half-way mark in the 543-member House, while its allies were ahead in 49 seats.
The exit polls had already crowned him the victor of the 15th Lok Sabha elections. His political rivals outside and within his own party are rushing to meet him to clear differences with him. He has taken the nation and the media by storm since the early 2000. The man with mission, Narendra Modi has always had his eyes set on the prize. His steady but sure rise within the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) as he led the party to success wherever he went. But he tread on several party's bigwigs as he walked past them to create history.
Narendra Modi's entry into the BJP's innermost circle is an unlikely story as he happens to be the only rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak (full time bachelor propandist/campaigner) who became a BJP politician. He was deputed by the RSS to the BJP in the year 1987. Until then Narendra Modi was completely dedicated to the activities of the RSS and even kept his marriage a secret as RSS requires there youth cadres to be bachelors.
He was made the BJP's organisational secretary and soon proved himself when the BJP won the Municipal elections in Gujarat under his overseeing.
The BJP bagged another victory when they won the assembly elections with more than 60 seats in 1990. The BJP formed a coalition government with the Jan Sangh. The Jan Sangh parted with the BJP after the Babri Masjid demolition.
The man with '56 inch chest' later played a key role in his mentor LK Advani's Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya. The Rath Yatra brought the BJP to the forefront of national politics.
Modi also took care of campaigning for other bigwigs of the party. He successfully organised the BJP's then president Murali Manohar Joshi's Kanyakumari-Srinagar Ekta Yatra (Unity March) in 1991.
Modi is credited to bringing BJP in Gujarat and it was through his campaigning skills that the BJP won in Gujarat in bothe 1992 and 1998 elections. The BJP's Keshubhai Patel won the assembly elections in 1995 and in 1998 thanks to Modi's shrewd eye for plucking out local candidates and grass root campaigning skills.
He was however accused of being bossy and interfering by the very same people he helped achieve power. It was reported that he would attend the Chief Minister's meetings when he held no position in the government to do so. In 1995 he was sent back to Delhi. He was however made the National Secretary of the BJP in charge of BJP's affairs in the northern states.
He was made in charge of the BJP's campaigning during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections. Modi however continued to keep an eye over the Gujarat's political affairs.
In 2001 post the Bhuj earthquake, Keshubhai Patel was replaced by his close confidant, Narendra Modi over accusations of poor governance and handling of the post-earthquake situation. It was reported that Modi was critical about Patel's style of functioning while posted in Delhi.
Narendra Modi brought BJP to power again in Gujarat in a landslide victory in 2002. He was brought back to power in two consequent elections in Gujarat later. Modi had moved from using the Hindutva card to delevopment card. He had carried Gaurav yatra after the elections that happened post the Gujarat riots and was the mastermind behind the 'VIbrant Gujarat' that won him the 2013 assembly elections.
The recent 'Gujarat Development Model' pitch catapulted him way past his mentor LK Advani to the BJP's PM candidate. This time around to victory awaits the BJP as one of its most consistently well performing leader flourished a campaign that is likely to trounce the Congress in the elections.
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