Rock the vote

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The 2014 election results took me by surprise, not because of Narendra Modi winning, but by the number of seats he won. I thought May 16 would be an easy breezy day, given that the exit polls had predicted that the BJP and its allies would cross the 272+ mark and Modi would win. Quite expected! However, what unfolded on the morning of May 16 was a tad bit unexpected.

I remember watching the verdict day of 2009 elections. I had spent the day locked in my flat, eyes glued to laptop, missing classes and following TV news. It was a simple result. The UPA got the required seats and the next day life went back to normal. It was neither talked about nor extensively discussed. But when I saw the verdict on May 16 and the saffron surge, the first thing that came to my mind was the song from Chennai Express - ‘Kashmir main tu Kanyakumari, North-South ki kat gayi dekho doori hi saari’. It was evident that across the country, people from all walks of life had clearly announced their inclination in no uncertain terms. But for me, I couldn’t stop thinking about the result. The BJP single-handedly won 283 seats, and with allies, its number went up to 337. It was simply WOW!

I have always had problem with numbers. This time too, the numbers made my mind boggle. Not a single politician had thought that the BJP would get an absolute majority on its own. Then how did they get the numbers?

I tried finding answers through my general discussions with friends, family, the experienced and the not-so experienced, but I wasn’t satisfied. None of the answers satisfied my curious mind. When I sat down to write , this I didn’t know what to say. While trying to find something inspiring to write, I read through my previous blog: The first-time voter phenomena. There the answer lied. Modi got the seats because the country’s young and the restless were determinedly pursuing change. The momentous mandate with which Narendra Modi won was due to a groundswell of support among the youngistan.

I feel Modi’s triumph is a direct result of the fact that he defined himself during his campaign with a clear message: that of being a strong leader. Indian youth have long been looking for a strong, Dabaang leader. Modi, for them was a man with an agenda, a leader with a vision. He changed the thinking of the young and therefore rocked the youth vote!

However, after the results were declared one also feels that there is more euphoria in lashing out at the Congress than in electing Narendra Modi to the power. For the first-time voter, it was a revenge against political arrogance which had set in in the governance. Many political pundits rightly concluded that people not only voted for development and growth, but also took revenge against UPA II's mis-governance.

For many this election result is rewarding and for a few doomsayers it is appalling. But the way our country was suffering, we needed a remedy. And no matter how bittersweet this remedy is, it was a necessity. Modi does bring a new face to political leadership. He is a refreshing departure from the markedly apathetic brand of politicians that preceded him. And that is why India continues to celebrate Modi's victory. The various debates on TV channels and the discourse on the streets, all echo the words ‘history’ and ‘hope’.

So, have we entered into Modi era? Only time will tell. Till then, lets applaud the rise of the youth and for hope!