Most of Modi's opponents make a crucial mistake of underestimating the connection that he has with his supporters. This results in a mistake that most people keep making over and over again: of going directly at Modi than sidestepping him to take on the issues.

I'm not a Modi fan, but you have to be blind to not acknowledge the connection his fans have with him. I have an ocean of misgivings about how his image was carefully curated, but that does not take away anything from the fact that the image is the strongest in India.

And the key thing is the connection. It is one that is very personal, where, for people who support him, any attack or criticism of him is an attack on them. It feels, for them, that they are being attacked personally, or, the country is being attacked. That framing is crucial.

People react very differently when they feel they are being attacked, compared to when they feel they're not. When you are attacked personally, your first & strongest instinct is to defend yourself, the merits of the attack notwithstanding. A large part of Indians feel this way.

That any attack/criticism of Modi is attacking them. They respond in a similar manner, by shutting out the merits of what he is being attacked over and rush to defend him, as it is personal now. In effect, the logic, rationale and proof you have to present means zlich.

They are not listening to you at all by then. This is kind of an identification changes only if they 1) experience something 1st person that alters it 2) find someone with enough credibility, equity, and trust who can provide an alternative.

1) Is an impossibility at scale.

2) Is taken care of by the apparatus that ensures anyone who dares to speak against is stripped of any credibility and trust. The trolling that you can't make sense of is what does this. By the time anyone looks up someone who can be a valid opponent, the credibility is shot.

Does this mean that there are no options? Yes, there is. It is as simple as pretending he does not exist. Do not address him directly, do not attack him. Speak only and only about the policies and issues. Take out the major deflection from the process.

It is important to understand the emotional buttons at play here if you need to be effective. You cannot just keep doing the same thing over and over again and wonder why it does not work.

It is basic psychology.