New Delhi: The year 2014 was undoubtedly the year of Modi – Narendra Modi. In the first half of the year he led a high decibel never-seen-before-in-India campaign and rode to power. In the second half, he consolidated his position by winning Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand, by installing his closest aide Amit Shah as the president of the BJP and launching series of high profile programmes.
If the year 2014 is the year that made Modi look invincible, then 2015 is the year that revealed his vulnerable side.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tasted his first ever humiliating defeat in February 2015 when Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP dealt a massive body blow to BJP by winning 67 out of 70 seats in the city state.
The opposition parties which were in a shock after Modi’s stunning victory in May 2014 Lok Sabha elections, realised that even Modi could be defeated. However nobody in the BJP was ready to openly attack Modi and Shah. They described the results as a fluke.
The energised opposition came together and successfully stalled the Budget Session of Parliament. Crucial Bills could not be passed and the House could not debate important issues. Even the media started questioning Modi’s style of functioning calling him a self centric leader.
Parliament's Monsoon Session was also washed out. Two BJP chief ministers - Shivraj Singh Chauhan of Madhya Pradesh and Vasundhara Raje of Rajasthan - came under the scanner. Faced with serious charges of massive corruption and impropriety, they somehow managed to survive. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also faced the worst ever crisis in her career.
Undeterred by these developments and diminishing clout, Modi once again led the BJP campaign in Bihar. The BJP suffered one more most humiliating defeat. Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad-led Mahagathbandhan swept Bihar Assembly elections in alliance with the Congress.
It was a serious drubbing.
A few days later, the BJP suffered another shocking defeat in rural Gujarat. The Congress almost swept the Zila Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat polls across Gujarat by winning two-third seats.
The buoyant opposition stalled the Winter Session of Parliament by refusing to cooperate in smooth functioning of the House.
Modi’s most trusted man Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has now come under the scanner in the DDCA scam. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched an all out attack on Jaitley.
The once formidable, invincible Modi is now looking pale. Even though Modi has not made any statement on the setbacks he suffered in the year 2015, he and BJP can’t deny the fact that his influence is waning.
2015 is certainly the year which proved that even Modi could be defeated.
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