Modi is a very smart politician.
Much smarter than many give him credit for.
This, combined with his ruthlessness, utter disregard for the truth or ethics, and an obsessive love for power (and therefore, image) has got him where he is today.
Take his speech yest.
Was targeted at a very specific constituency.
His existing support base, and those warm to him, but possibly w/ a few recent doubts.
This is a BIG number.
As long as he has them w/ him, he's through.
Couldn't care less about his detractors/critics.
Key points of his speech:
1) India has done better than ROW in handling Covid. (Read: Modi is a superior leader).
2) This is cos of right decisions taken by Govt. Lockdown et al. (Read: see above).
3) After Unlock1, unfortunately PEOPLE have become lax. (You cant blame govt!).
4) With monsoon arriving, we are more vulnerable (Read: Can't blame govt).
5) My govt will provide food security for 80 cr poor for the next 4 months (Read: Trust me, I'll take care of all of you)
6) 80cr is 2.5 times USA pop. (Read: See magnitude of task MY govt is undertaking).
7) So many festivals coming up. Names festivals. (Appeals to India's religious madness.)
8) Mentions only Hindu festivals (Appeals to HIS target constituency)
9) Mentions Chhaat Puja (Bihar elex)
10) Thanks farmers (Bihar elex + appeasing farmers w/ words, zero fin support)
11) Thanks taxpayers (the taxpayer community is happy to get a word of praise + the poor feel more obliged to the rich. The better the image of the rich in the eyes of the poor, the more acceptable Modi's pro-rich policies, environment destruction etc).

This is my quick take.:-)
So he could pack all this in 17 min.
Reaching out to 130 cr Indians.
For all the power of the internet, the REAL reach today in India is STILL through TV and print media.
And they are completely in Modi's control.

Imagine how many doubters' doubts would've been allayed yest.
REAL power is in regional media.
Ppl here might scoff at anchors of Aaj Tak, Zee News and other Hindi channels, but their every show, pushing Modi propaganda, makes an impact on the not inconsiderable gullible audience.
Same for other regional channels, which ppl don't talk abt.
Same with print.
Regional languages RULE.
The most popular English-lang newspaper is at No.11 on this list.
Yet, on Twitter, you'll rarely everr find discussion on content of regional print media.
It's usually TOI, the Hindu, IE, HT etc.
Twitter bubble.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_newspapers_in_India_by_readership
Look at this list.
Of the top 20 in India, only ONE is an English-lang newspaper.
TOI at No.11.

THIS is the real Indian voter base.
Influenced by the content of REGIONAL media.
If it's also pro-BJP, what do you expect will happen in 2024?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_newspapers_in_India_by_readership
Searched for a similar list for TV news channels, but couldn't find one online. (Lots of links talking only about English news channels.)
Can someone pls provide me with a TRP list of TV NEWS channels (across languages) in India?
Found one of 2010 - top 20 were ALL regional. :-)
To summarise.
Don't ever underestimate Modi's cunning.
He knows the pulse of the Indian public all too well.
He can make a million mistakes - and still emerge a hero.
Cos he can convince Indians that they were not HIS fault, that he was a victim etc.
Never underestimate him.
To opposition parties, pls pls focus on REGIONAL media.
Get your message, your best spokespersons in there.
Repeatedly force a presence in regional media.
Win over the Dainik Jagran reader - (s)he matters, when it comes to votes.
Another thing.
It's not what you think, or I think.
It's what hundreds of millions of Indians think.
You can mock him, saying he just reads off a teleprompter.
Yes, you know it, I know it.
Do the 100s of millions in India know it?
They still think he's a natural.
What we really need is influential regional news media, which isn't pro-BJP.
Like SUN TV/News in TN.
It's a DMK mouthpiece, very influential, and doesn't hesitate to expose BJP (for its own agenda ofc, given AIADMK is now a BJP stooge).
We need more of these across the country.
You can follow @Raja_Sw.
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