Narendra Modi Biography

For this man from north Gujarat, life began from running a tea canteen at Ahmedabad’s teeming bus terminus. By utilising his adversity to his benefits a trait that has become a hallmark of his political career too, and he is at the pinnacle of his political life. He has achieved something many Indians at his social level could not.Once he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), Modi worked as a ”pracharak” in the Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh where people remember him as a docile and humble man, an image contrary to his present one.

During Modi’s tenure in New Delhi as the BJP’s national spokesman in the late 1990s, he went to the US for a three-month course on public relations and image management. This apparently now helps him to get the publicity he desires.

He entered politics in 1987 by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. Within a year, he was elevated to the level of General Secretary of the Gujarat unit of the party. In 1995, he was made the National Secretary of the party in-charge of five major states in India – a rare distinction. He traveled extensively throughout the world, which helped him to develop a global perspective. After carving a niche for himself in the national politics as a master strategist, he took over as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on 7th October 2001. When the BJP formed its first government in Gujarat, Modi, then 45, emerged a key aide of chief minister Keshubhai Patel. He allegedly heightened the rift between Keshubhai and party stalwart Shankersinh Vaghela, who later walked out to join the Congress.Keshubhai’s the government had become unpopular for mishandling reconstruction work following the Gujarat earthquake of 2000. Modi was sent back to Gujarat to replace Keshubhai.

Narendra Modi, who is ever capable of turning an adversity into an opportunity made use of his inexperience to start afresh, on a clean slate without the burden of the past. His beginner mind was a blessing in disguise for him to learn things without any bias and without the need to unlearn the dead past. Though he was a wandering type of Sangh Pracharak he had a wealth of national and international exposure with him. Immediately after the swearing in ceremony he swung into action. His administrative acumen, clear vision and integrity brought him a landslide victory in the general elections held in December 2002 and he was sworn in as the Chief Minister for the second term on 22nd December 2002.

Also read:  2002 Gujarat violence

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