Why Modi and Shah Are Rushing Back to Their Core Political Turfs
PM Modi holds a roadshow in Gujarat as he undertakes his two-day visit to the state (Image Modi on X)
By MANISH ANAND
From restive farmers in Gujarat to urgent MLC poll fallout in UP, the BJP’s top duo is shifting gears. Modi pins hope on “Bada Pradhan” pride, while Shah rushes to Lucknow. Inside the high-stakes ₹50 lakh crore turf management.
New Delhi, October 31, 2026 — In Banaskantha on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a particular mention that he had held his first public event here after taking oath as the chief minister of Gujarat on October 7, 2001. Frequently shuffling between Hindi and Gujarati, the prime minister repeatedly said: “apno Modi, apno bada Pradhan, aapne chhati garvani…” (your Modi, your PM, swelling your pride).
The Prime Minister took part in a farmers’ outreach programme in Banaskantha on his first day of two-day Gujarat stay. The Prime Minister’s travel to Gujarat is approaching a century, with the state being his top destination followed by Bihar.
On the same day, Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah arrived in Lucknow to a rousing welcome led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath amid light drizzles that brought black umbrellas in strength. Shah presided over a BJP core group meeting in Lucknow, reiterating the assertion that the party would bag another mandate in the state in the next year’s Assembly elections.
Modi in Banaskantha spoke to farmers leisurely sitting on charpai (cot). “If the Guinness people had been informed in advance, this could have set a record of such a large number of people on charpai at one place,” Modi remarked.
Banaskantha is a prominent dairy hub in Gujarat. The city is also a hub of farmers’ and dairy co-operatives. For decades, this place has come to occupy significance in the political narrative of Gujarat.
“Since 2014, the government has given benefits to the tune of ₹50 lakh crores to the farmers,” said Modi, setting the agenda for Gujarat’s Assembly elections next year.
In recent months, Gujarat had seen a massive farmers’ protests, spread over northern parts of the state, Morbi, Saurashtra, and Kutch, against high-tension transmission installations put on agricultural lands.
In Lucknow, Shah told the BJP workers: “Uttar Pradesh has seen investment commitments of ₹50 lakh crores since the party-led government came to power in 2017.”
Modi in Banaskantha and Shah in Lucknow pitched over one trillion dollars of spinoffs from the BJP-led government — just for farmers and UP. India, incidentally, is an economy worth four trillion dollars.
Greater Noida, the prominent industrial hub of UP, had this year seen massive labour unrest over wages. The protests led to several put behind bars, including a Delhi University student slapped with a case under National Security Act, which invited the scorn of the Allahabad High Court later.
In the recent local body elections in Gujarat, the BJP trumped its rivals, asserting political dominations. In the recent MLC elections, the BJP faced embarrassing moments in UP where the party lost from Modi’s parliamentary constituency.
Modi didn’t stop with his ₹50 lakh crore benefit to farmers claims. He went on to say: ₹4 lakh crore to farmers directly as a part of ₹6000 annual transfer in three instalments, ₹12 lakh crore under PM Sourya scheme for solar pumps, et al. Modi’s Friday event saw another direct transfer to farmers amounting to over ₹18,000 crores.
“Until cows average yields came to 4 litres, which now comes to 8 litres. India is now the second largest exporter of honey in the world,” added Modi.
While Modi reels statistics in staggering terms, farmers remain restive, from Gujarat to Maharashtra. While Shah lauded Adityanath for his law-and-order, his rush to Lucknow close on the heels of the MLC poll verdict underpinned the exigency that he has a crisis on hand to manage.
The BJP has banked on Modi’s “Bada Pradhan” pride to win Gujarat from 2017 state polls. Modi seems to have called upon the people to keep faith in the pride and vote for the BJP again in 2027.
Shah shined in national politics after delivering staggering win for the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in UP. Both Modi and Shah seem to have begun core crisis management in key political turfs, with ₹50 lakh crore shouts.
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