New Delhi: It has now become Aam Aadmi Party vs Narendra Modi all over India. From AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to the party's minor activists, all of them are attacking Bharatiya Janata Party's Prime Ministerial nominee Narendra Modi.
During his four-day 'fact finding' tour of Gujarat, Arvind Kejriwal continuously attacked Modi. He questioned him on various issues related to Modi's claims of all round development of Gujarat. His very first day in Gujarat led to a pitched street fight between the BJP workers and the AAP workers in New Delhi, Gujarat and even in Lucknow.
It is not that Kejriwal was not attacking Narendra Modi in the past. He has been doing that for a long time. But, Modi was one of his targets, not the only target. During his Gujarat visit, Kejriwal called Modi a liar and his development is a big publicity con. His party leaders and workers also started a similar attack on Modi. Tweets and Facebook updates started flying thick and fast.
Why is Kejriwal focusing only on Modi? What has prompted him to target only Modi? There are no simple answers to these questions.
According to analysts, Kejriwal seems to have realised that targeting too many people at the same time won't work and he should target only the prime personality in this election - Narendra Modi.
The BJP poll campaign is centred only on Modi and he is running a Presidential style of campaign. The AAP and Kejriwal believe that they are the real opposition and it is their job to take on Modi. They believe that the Congress has conceded that space to them. Attacking Modi makes Kejriwal a bigger figure and keeps the party in news. Some say it is a very clever marketing technique adopted by Kejriwal!
According to poll surveys the popularity of the AAP is dwindling across India including its stronghold Delhi. Insiders know that they may not be able to reach their target. In such a situation, the best way to keep the party in the news and keep the morale of AAP workers high is by attacking the strongest opponent.
Narendra Modi is refusing to hit back at Kejriwal. He is trying to ignore him. Perhaps Modi thinks that giving him importance might make him more popular. Modi also does not want to treat Kejriwal like his equal. According to Modi watchers he is exuding a strange restraint.
However Modi supporters have not been kind to Kejriwal. They are attacking him non-stop. Some call him an anarchist; some even call him a 'paid' agent of the Congress. They describe him as a proxy agent of the Congress. Some senior BJP leaders even called the AAP 'urban Maoists'.
Kejriwal looks undeterred. He is not showing any signs of backing off or inclined to tone down his attacks. The AAP is now questioning Modi on his choice of Lok Sabha seats. They want to know if he is going to retain his Lok Sabha seat in UP or in Gujarat after the elections. Perhaps, the AAP is thinking that their continued attack will force Modi to launch a counter attack on them. It actually benefits them to keep the party in news across India. According to BJP insiders Modi has been advised by his close circle not to engage himself in a direct confrontation with Kejriwal and make it criticism legitimate They feel that if Modi continues to ignore him, Kejriwal will have to stop his tirade against Modi and even if he does not do that; the media and public may ignore him after a point.
A political commentator says BJP's hot-blooded politics led by the mid-rung leaders are undoing the best efforts of Narendra Modi to defuse the Kejriwal bomb and they are playing into his hands. Some political analysts close to the AAP feel that Kejriwal's sustained campaign against Narendra Modi may cost the BJP a few seats and a lot of goodwill.
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