The man behind Modi emerges as a clear No. 2

Ahmedabad: BJP president Amit Shah travelled over 1,58,000 km for the Lok Sabha campaign – equivalent to going around the world four times — touching 312 Lok Sabha constituencies early on and then 161 after the announcement of the election dates.

The travels were not in vain: The portly and balding master strategist has delivered another stunning electoral victory for the party, which underlines his status as the country’s second-most powerful man behind PM Narendra Modi.

“It is a lethal combination of personality (of Narendra Modi) and strategy (of Shah) that has been working,” sums up a BJP leader.

The 54-year-old Shah’s career has seen many highs of late, a far cry from July 2010 when he was arrested by the CBI in connection with the fake encounter killing Sohrabuddin Sheikh. His political career was written off by political pundits. But that setback perhaps changed his fortune as he exiled himself to Delhi as per his bail conditions.

“He could have gone anywhere in the country but his destiny was in Delhi where instead of sulking he built his network and remained relevant in the party,” the BJP leader adds.

Shah’s rise is also the story of an underdog who started as a ward-level worker. Before filing his nomination as a contestant from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, Shah addressed a gathering where he noted: “It is only in BJP where a ward-level worker can become national president.” The 2019 Lok Sabha poll result will undoubtedly spur talk of his emerging as a potential successor to Modi.

“It was in 2001 when senior BJP leader Haren Pandya refused to vacate his Assembly seat of Ellisbridge that forced then chief minister Narendra Modi to opt for Rajkot, from where he contested his first election after becoming the chief minister. There was another low-profile MLA who had offered Modi his seat. Although Modi didn’t take the offer, the chord of friendship was struck. You see the rest is history,” says the BJP leader.

That man was none other than Amit Shah. During that time, state BJP was full of stalwart-like figures such as Keshubhai Patel, Haren Pandya and rising leaders like Gordhan Zadaphia. Shah, a Jain, was not in the league of powerful Patel or Brahmin community leaders which dominated the state cabinet. In the subsequent years, Keshubhai and Zadaphia were sidelined, and Pandya was found murdered.

After the BJP came back to power with a thumping majority in the assembly polls held a couple of months following the 2002 riots, Shah was inducted into the Modi cabinet and given several portfolios including Minister of State for Home. His term as minister was marred by controversy due to several police encounter killings including Sohrabuddin Sheikh, Tulsiram Prajapati and Ishrat Jahan, among others.

Shah earned a reputation for efficiency and files used to move faster than ever. Many police officers complain about the present dispensation in Gujarat and contrast it with Shah’s regime. “Shah had a hold on day-to-day business. I never had to remind him twice about certain file clearances but today even a simple reimbursement of payment gets delayed for months,” says a senior officer.

Five persons this paper approached to describe Amit Shah had similar things to say about him.

“He has become a real ringmaster in the party who doesn’t beat around the bush to get things done,” said one.

“His command over party workers can only be explained in one line and that is ‘Kaam thavu joiye’ (work should be done). He doesn’t give you space for loose talk. You have to be precise and focused,” gushed another.

DH News Service