Why is the PM missing? Why are they campaigning in Bengal? Here’s the likely answer:

In any event, the first question he asks is what’s best for his image. It’s never what’s best for people or nation, it’s always the image.

In the current crisis, they took a concerted call...
And they reached the conclusion that staying out of reach and away from the crisis was a better bet for his image.

Thought process: Nothing to be done, we’ve already exported vaccines, not allowed foreign ones or prepared hospitals and oxygen, so people will die.
If Modi leads from the front, people will associate him with the deaths and the crisis. So he’ll do nothing.

In a few weeks, when lots have died but the situation starts to get better - oxygen, medication sorted, bed situation better, vaccines being imported and made...
You’ll see him dominate coverage again. Speeches, media addresses and all of that jazz. Huge social media campaign saying he’s saved the day and everything’s better because of him.

Most will subconsciously associate his image with things getting better. Operation successful.
This is how this machinery operates. The only calculation is what’s best for the ruler’s image, rest is immaterial.

Doing it this way gives them an opportunity to spin it around once the crisis is over. Memories are short and blame is easy to deflect when you own institutions.
Of course, there’s a possibility things won’t get better for a while. In that case he’ll stay in the background for as long as possible and the nation is in HUGE trouble!

PS: Regardless of previous terrible decisions, there’s still a lot the PM can and should be doing...
This one won’t do any of it though. He’ll let juniors, bureaucrats and god handle it till it’s time to swoop in for a photo op.

Why the Bengal campaign? Can’t just be hiding in an office. It gave a reason to be away and unreachable!
Many will say how can people not blame him, this is a stupid plan. Well guys, this works super well and he’s done this countless times!

To rule the narrative, you need to disappear when others control the narrative. Just don’t engage with it. This is key to narrative dominance.
Because many says he’s come back, he hasn’t. One speech isn’t leading from the front, it’s the best way to disappear.

Give a low content speech, and absolve yourself. The way it worked during the fallout of demonetisation and the migrant crisis.

Watch the masterclass in PR!
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