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PM Modi, who once faced scepticism about whether his charisma would last beyond a single term, has instead been the BJP’s campaigner-in-chief for over a decade
PM Modi at 75 is less about age and more about political maturity. (PTI File)
As PM Narendra Modi turns 75, Indian politics finds itself still revolving around him – a feat rare in a democracy as large, noisy, and competitive as India’s.
Far from resigning into political sunset, Modi is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) main mascot. The Prime Minister, who once faced scepticism about whether his charisma would last beyond a single term, has instead been the BJP’s campaigner-in-chief for over a decade, whom the party needs to convert support to votes.
His 2024 Lok Sabha win with 240 seats, a dip from 303 in 2019 and 282 in 2014, far from signalling decline, as many of his detractors imagined, has arguably sharpened the contours of Modi’s political project — a cocktail of welfare populism, nationalism, and relentless grassroots outreach.
POST-240: CONSOLIDATION, NOT COMEDOWN
When the BJP returned to power for the third term with 240 seats after promising “400 paar”, it was the first time since 2014 that the party had to rely on coalition partners like the Janata Dal United (JDU) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in a significant way.
Critics were quick to suggest that Modi’s era of dominance was over. Sure, some changed reality started to get reflected in Union budgets where Andhra Pradesh and Bihar were favoured. Yet, the government’s early months after the election told a different story: policy continuity remained intact, Modi’s public appearances grew even more strategic, and his hold over the party’s agenda — from Parliament to social media campaigns — did not waver.
Ever since the Lok Sabha results, the BJP managed to win states like Haryana, where the Congress was said to be a favourite, for three consecutive terms , managed to hold on to key financial states like Maharashtra, grab a new state like Odisha — a first for the BJP in the state where it earlier was a junior partner to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the most recent one being sweeping the national capital where the BJP uprooted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
A 63 Lok Sabha seat loss in 2024 was quickly undone by what the BJP credits “Modi charisma”. With such electoral performance, allies, too, never crossed the Laxman Rekha. Even non-allies like YSRCP chose to vote for the NDA Vice-Presidential candidate recently, which is reflective of the Prime Minister regaining his former stature within when he had 303 seats.
MODI’S UNIQUE BRAND IDENTITY
The BJP has a wide range of top-tier leaders namely Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath, Rajnath Singh, and JP Nadda who play important roles. But Modi remains the party’s primary vote-mobiliser. His personal approval ratings consistently outstrip that of the government itself. This is crucial because it allows the BJP to nationalise every contest, reducing state-level anti-incumbency impact and blunting regional satraps. This is because of his unique brand identity that is built on two pillars — targeted welfare delivery and muscular nationalism.
Post 240, the government has doubled down on expanding schemes like PMAY (housing), Jal Jeevan Mission (drinking water), and Ayushman Bharat (healthcare), which reach millions of households. The BJP’s electoral pitch is less about abstract ideology and more about tangible, everyday improvements — often branded as “Modi ki guarantee”.
Parallelly, the nationalist narrative continues to frame Modi as the custodian of India’s global pride and security — from foreign policy messaging to domestic decisions such as strengthening border infrastructure. This dual approach ensures Modi appeals to both aspiration and emotion, cementing his role as the face of the party in every election, national or state.
Pradipta Roy, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Scottish Church College in Kolkata, feels PM Modi’s brand image remains “stronger” even after 240 seats. “Brand Modi remains intact, arguably stronger than before, even after the transition from a BJP-led majority to a coalition NDA government. The credit, unsurprisingly, goes primarily to Prime Minister Modi himself.”
According to Roy, Modi has elevated Brand Modi, both within India and on the global stage. “His uncompromising stance on national security and dignity, coupled with a record of delivering on governance promises, has not only reinforced his image as a global leader, but also strengthened India’s standing in the world,” Roy added.
As Modi enters the latter half of his 70s, questions about succession will inevitably arise. But as of now, there is no sign of waning influence. Instead, Modi seems to be reshaping the BJP in his image — disciplined, centralised, and narrative-driven — ensuring the party’s politics will always carry his imprint.
In many ways, Modi at 75 is less about age and more about political maturity, just like how a BJP General Secretary once advised a group of journalists to prepare writing about Modi at 80.
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in …Read More
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in … Read More
September 16, 2025, 14:29 IST
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