Despite all its claims and counter-claims, there has probably never been such an excitement about elections results in media houses as it was this time. When the Modi-led NDA alliance came close to touching the 335 seats, there was an air of festivities about several news studios, PCR, input, output and technical departments. Sweets and laddoos were distributed, people hugged and congratulated each other. It was as if not Modi, but the nation had won.

Modi’s partnership proved to be a boon for TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu. Modi’s popularity in the rural areas of Andhra was so much that most women there had already clearly told people from other political parties that their votes were only for Modi. As a result, TDP party workers had to go around in the villages showing pictures with Modi and Chandrababu together. Only then did the party manage to get so many seats.

The Varansi airport is an interesting place to observe nowadays. By the time it is evening, there is a line of big and small helicopters. Politicians belonging to different parties are in a hurry to get back home after a day’s running around campaigning, giving speeches and taking part in roadshows – almost like the birds returning to their nests. Helicopters for politicians going for election campaigning to Azamgarh, Mirzapur, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Domriagunj, Chandauli, Maharajganj and Gorakhpur would fly out from Varanasi. Politicians who otherwise spit fire at each other in public meet each other with such warmth if they came across each other at the airport as if they were meeting long-lost friends and relatives. This applies to everyone, be it Mulayam, Modi, Akhilesh, Mayawati or Rahul.

With a revolutionary bent of mind, Arvind Kejriwal has often got his name included in the list of atheists. But is it a mere coincidence that just before the elections, he remembers Bajrangbali, who can take on the strongest of enemies? During Delhi’s Assembly elections, too, he had his office right behind the famous Hanuman Mandir near Connaught Place in Delhi. It is said that he would start his day only after paying a visit to the Hanuman Temple. In Varanasi, too, his residence is behind the famous Sankat Mochan Temple. It is said that Kejriwal’s father was a fan of the Sangh ideology in one way or another and so Kejriwal’s political strategy also somehow seems to be inspired by the Sangh. Just like Sangh, Kejriwal’s entire attention was on reaching out to the common people. He visited more than 5,000 households personally and asked for votes. Among the Muslim voters in Varanasi, about 75 per cent are Ansari votes. Kejriwal had given the job of influencing them to Shazia Ilmi, who has been in the news for fanatic thinking.

Since the past few days, a joke that is doing the rounds in social media, especially Whatsapp, is “Thank God! Facebook and Whatsapp are American companies. Otherwise by now the government would have changed its name to ‘Rajiv Gandhi Dost Banao Yojana! ‘

It was almost sure that Varanasi’s royal descendant Anant Narayan Singh’s uncle’s son Aribhushan Singh would contest the elections from Varanasi on the SP ticket. But the minute Modi’s name appeared from Varanasi, he met Akhilesh and Netaji and turned down the offer of contesting from Varanasi. Actually, several close friends of Aribhushan seriously believed that at present the public was extremely annoyed with the SP and in such a scenario, he should exercise caution about agreeing to take a bicycle ride. Thus, at the last moment, Aribhushan thought it advisable to not contest the elections. 

Modi will keep an eye on his colleagues in the Cabinet. Also on his priority will be foreign issues regarding the country. As a prime minister, Modi’s day will begin with an important meeting with six-seven people in the morning of which the chiefs of IB, RAW, NIA, the heads of all three forces and advisor on national security may be present. While on one hand Modi will stress upon having good bilateral ties with China, a clear change will be seen in India’s foreign policy with the US. India’s attitude towards the US may be a little strained but many US-supporting economists may get a place in Modi’s kitchen-Cabinet. Reserve Bank of India’s Raghuram Rajan might play a significant role here. Relations with Pakistan will also be a tad strained and the country might get it back when the time comes.

If the Congress can’t reach even the 100 mark in these elections, three people in Rahul’s team will be held responsible – Jairam Ramesh, Mohan Rakesh and Madhusudan Mistry.

Sensing the change of guard in Delhi, Arun Shourie has again shifted base from Pune to Delhi. It is worth mentioning that about four-five years ago, Shourie had shifted to Pune’s Lavasa City. His lunch with Narendra Modi had also grabbed headlines when Modi had visited him in his Lavasa City residence for some important discussions. Arun Shourie was upset with the BJP about a few things and in his position as BJP President, Nitin Gadkari had made many efforts and had, to an extent, succeeded in pacifying Shourie to a significant extent. So this much is clear that if this election results mean there is a BJP-led government at the Centre, Arun Shourie may get a prominent place in it. He might be seen as the country’s next finance minister.

Veteran BJP leader Arun Jaitley has been camping out in Amritsar for the past one month. And what he’s missing the most in the city is his morning walk with prominent journalist friends in Delhi’s Lodhi Gardens. Keeping his feelings in mind, his friends’ group, that is Swapan Dasgupta, Shobhana Bhartiya, Coomi Kapoor, Virendra Kapoor and Raian Karanjawala have reached Amritsar and Jaitley ji is seen on his morning walk with them at the Company Bagh.