(Image source from: What happens to the men who created the Modi Wave?})
What inspired the manager of a rock band, an investment banker, a journalist, a lawyer, a fashion school grad, and an Ivy League university alumnus together to ditch their cushy, hi-profile jobs and pitch in for Narendra Modi? Were they paid strategists who pooled together to endorse Modi? Or were they a mere group of enthusiasts swept up by the Modi wave like many others?
To tell you the truth, Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG), the non-profit organization behind Modi wave, was just a group of like-minded professionals passionate about having accountable governance in India. And in Modi, they saw the opportunity.
However, the CAG professionals claim that they didn't start out as a public relations machinery of Modi. In fact, the group of professionals wanted to sensitize people on political choice in the 2014 polls and was initially even willing to lend a ear to Rahul Gandhi.
The initially apolitical group was formed to fight the widespread apathy that exists in Indian on voting. Together, they hosted events like Manthan and the Young India Leaders Conclave to generate a buzz and that paved a way for their future ambition.
In August 2013, CAG hosted “Manthan”, a youth initiative aimed at Indian colleges where students were encouraged to give presentations and share ideas on their agenda for the 2014 elections. The initiative drew as many as 7,000 college and through this, the team managed to reach out to one crore students directly.
CAG then invited Narendra Modi to address the gathering in the finale of the event. And that's when CAG caught his attention. Apparently, the former Gujarat CM was impressed by CAG's social media strategies and reach and decided to partner with them for the 'Statue of Unity' project.
It was during the Statue of Unity project that Modi's team came up with the 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat' refrain, something that eventually made its way into the BJP's manifesto and even the President's address during the joint session of Parliament.
By December 2013, CAG formally became a part of Modi's election campaign. The stage was set for 3D rallies, the Chai Pe Charchas, and the 185-rally Bharat Vijay Rallies that saw the then PM aspirant travel across the length and breadth of the country, ensuring that neither he nor the BJP were left out of people's minds for once.
CAG banked on its number crunching talent and managerial skills to create the brand Modi. Armed with management graduates from premier B-schools across India like IIM-A, IIM-B, IIM-C, ISB, Symbiosis etc, engineers, public policy researchers, media and communication consultants, they launched operation “Modi Wave”.
They unearthed all old election records, gathered data from the ground and brainstormed innovative campaigning solutions. However, their initiatives weren't without hiccups and ruffled a lot of feathers along the way. BJP leaders at state-levels weren't too glad at the bunch of suit-tie professionals with no experience in politics trying to show them how their own game is played.
CAG's strategizing didn't end with just the local leaders. They burnt midnight oils trying to strategize each move of Modi.
Though all CAG members worked voluntarily and didn't charge for their services, the project costs, which ran into crores given its expanse and the sheer number of individuals and professional expertise and products it banked on, were shouldered by sources close to the party.
With the election over, the big question is what happens to CAG now? Will the group be disbanded or will it form Modi's biggest answer to achieving 'Shreshth Bharat'?
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
