Similarities between Modi and Amitabh

What is the similarities between Amitabh and Modi apart from both being vegetarians ? As Amitabh was the one man Bollywood industry in the 1980s, Modi is the one man party and one man pan Indian leader, above and beyond his current counterparts.

Forget about a good movie, a badly performing Amitabh in a movie used to guarantee a box office hit, so much so that noted directors like Manmohan Singh and Prakash Mehra churned out one junk after another from the aging superstar - as his tall presence assured of a safe box office return.

Same goes with Narendra Modi. When and wherever he campaigns, BJP performs a whole lot better. When he doesn't, BJP falters - loses its focus, losing even from its strongholds. This was just reinforced in the recently concluded byelection in UP where he didn't campaign. Modi is akin to the fang of a poisonous snake, without him the party is impotent. It can hiss, but its bite lacks venom. BJP is a constipated party sans Modi, which can fart but can't shit.

In 2014, at the peak of the Lok Sabha election campaign a few grassroot journos visited Ganga ghats (docking station of boats) across the cow belt. It was the place where people criss cross across the river, discussing politics. They picked up a Modi wave which was brewing, eventually translating to a massive mandate. 

Since then, riding on his charisma, BJP reaped one successful harvest after another - his (now the party is pretty much synonymous with him) defeat in Bihar assembly not withstanding. If Modi did not campaign extensively in Gujarat, BJP would be presently sitting in the opposition benches. Same will be the fate of his party in 2019 sans Modi's charisma.

But every product has an expiry date. What goes around, comes around. What climbs up, has to come down. Every crest is followed by a trough, every high tide by low tide. Modi magic won't last forever. There are still signs of it ebbing, though he still retains his charisma and punch as a crowd puller which is enough to eke out a win. 

A la Amitabh of the 80s indispensable to Bollywood, Modi is indispensable to his party - the one and only one man who can deliver. It has to be seen how long his rally will last, how long BJP will ride over his charisma, which will eventually be determined by governance, not by rhetorics alone.