Is the Modi Mania beginning to grip the nation like 2014?

Are we currently witnessing resurgence of Modi mania and is the same nearing the 2014 level?

For last one and half days, I along with a group of Lawyers was engaged in meeting the lawyers in a Delhi Court. The objective was to enlist the support of Lawyers for a massive meeting to be organized in support of "Modi ek Baar phir"  for 2019. Frankly speaking, before we  started meeting lawyers, I already had sensed a positive  mood in support of Modi, developing during last couple of months and the same abetted by IAF's air strike on terror camps of Jaish-E- Mohammed in Pak on 26th Feb. However, given the anti incumbency of five years and going by recent opinion polls on various TV channels, I anticipated that general mood of lawyers would be only slightly  favourable for Modi and the same would be far lesser than what we saw in 2014. However, after meeting almost 1000 lawyers individually and in small small groups, I was pleasantly surprised that Modi- mania  is picking up and up and by now, it has already touched the level close to 2014 one  and we shouldn't be surprised, if the Modi- mania touches the maniac level by the time first phase of polling begins on 11th April. Now, one may argue Modi-mania is only a post air strike phenomenon. This Mania is an emotional response of the people spurred by nationalist sentiments of people post Pulwama attack & our surgical  air strike in the response to the same on 26th February. Naysayers of Modi may argue, current Modi mania is an emotional phenomenon and the same shall subside in a short span of time as the tempers cool down and hard realities of life and expectations  of  people  prevail upon  the current  nationalistic fervour  of people. Logically, naysayers mayn't be wrong because emotions cool down with passage of time. However, in the current scenario, prognosis of naysayers mayn't hold good due to assessment of Modi by all those, supporting him.

No doubt, support for Modi has shot up to huge level post Pulwama attack & air strike, however at the same time this is also true that  this positive mood of the people is not going to subside so soon and hopefully not at least during next eight weeks. It is a fact that prior to Pulwama attack, huge level of  expectations of the people from Modi coupled with United opposition front against him had been weighing down his chances for 2019, despite several good things done by him during his current tenure. Despite all the previous opinion polls showing Modi ahead of others, none was willing to show Modi led NDA to be in clear majority. However, post Pulwama attack and our air strike in the response to the same,gave an opportunity to people to assess Modi's leadership skill & style. And, post Pulwama attack scenario has catapulted him to a giant level dwarfing all other leaders. Air strike on 26th Feb. across LOC, has put him across as "macho-nationalist" , willing to go hammer and tong against the enemy nation. People are reconvinced that Modi is a strong leader and is willing to take risks for better future and well being of the nation. People now realise that it was Modi leadership style, which saw Indian army putting up strong resistance to aggression of Chinese at Doklam without batting an eyelid and ultimately causing retreat of strong Chinese army. Again, post Pulwama attack, Indian air force was given go ahead for airstrike on terror camps of Jaish in Pak crossing LOC without being least perturbed about nuclear threat made out by Pak very often  in the event of any aggression from Indian side. Now people realise that Modi is a strong leader, who can call  enemy nation's bluff. Also, post Pulwama attack gave an opportunity to people to test strength of Modi's international diplomacy. Due to frequent overseas trips, Modi was lampooned as somebody having obsession for foreign travels and having much lesser interest in staying in India and spending time on resolving domestic issues,concerning larger interest of nation and common masses. Post Pulwama attack, was followed by international isolation of Pakistan. Due to Indian diplomacy, even China, the best friend of Pakistan, seemed to be  unwilling to publicly support Pakistan against India. On the contrary, almost all the nations publicly displayed support for India against sponsored terror incidents of Pakistan. Again, release of Wing Commander Abhinandan within 48 hours of his detention and that too without any pre conditions,displayed victory of Indian diplomacy under PM Modi.

In a nutshell, post Pulwama attack, has helped Modi stamp his strong leadership skills, which has helped him dwarf all other opposition leaders. People, now realise , there is no alternative to Modi. For people, he is incorruptible,  not wedded to dynastic politics, dedicated to the well-being of  the nation on 24x7x365 basis. For people Modi is a  a risk taker for long term interest of the nation as evidenced by his  demonetization decision with an intent to weed out Black money from the economy, irrespective of likely  slow down of the economy in short run. For people, Modi is the only leader not wedded to minority appeasement politics, and who is unashamed about his hindutva credentials, despite all the hue and cry against the same by liberal and so called secular sections of the society.  And, post Pulwama attack, overwhelming sections of the society are now convinced,Modi is the  strongest among all other leaders, whose re-election as PM for 2019 is a must for India becoming a rich, prosperous  and among the most powerful nations/economies of the world. As this realisation has dawned upon majority of sections of society, 2014 like Modi-Mania is beginning to develop. This mania has gripped large no. of people.Its level is nearing 2014 and we shouldn't be surprised, if the Modi-mania level attains the maniac level in coming weeks.