India in bag, internal security will be Narendra Modi's biggest challenge
New Delhi: With the BJP-led NDA set to form the government on its own, the focus would now shift to Narendra Modi as Prime Minister to deliver on the aspirations he had created in the country during his campaign trail.
His main challenges would be -- social and infrastructure development, administrative and economic reforms, the investment climate in the country by setting in place policy bottlenecks and improving internal and external security environment.
However, many also believe a resurgent BJP may also bring back on the agenda of its governance controversial issues like Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code and abolition of Article 370 leading to a metamorphic change in the social and political discourse in the country. But to accomplish any of these party’s core issues, the party government would require majority in Rajya Sabha also, which at present is not in favour of either the BJP or the NDA.
But keen Modi watchers contend that given the track record of the leader from Gujarat, he as an occupant of 7, Race Course Road will focus on the developmental agenda first. “He has the knack of first earning the credibility and then proceeds towards achieving the controversial goals. This gives him ample elbow room to manouver and push the core agenda of the party,” they said.
Creating physical infrastructure, improving the employment scenario, attracting huge foreign and domestic investments and correcting the course of India’s foreign policy particularly vis-à-vis Pakistan and China are going to be high on the agenda of the next Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, BJP sources said.
Internal security will remain a major challenge for the new government at the Centre. In fact, Narendra Modi has one of the highest threat perception. Security for him and his immediate family members has already been stepped up.
The government would have the tough task of revamping agencies like NIA which were formed with much hype after the Mumbai attacks but have failed to crack even a single major terror case.
Dealing with cross-border terrorism will also be a huge challenge as intelligence agencies are already anticipating a sharp increase in subversive activities once Modi-led Government is in place at the centre.
Modi would want a highly effective National Security Advisor as part of the PMO since under the UPA the post had become more foreign policy oriented rather than dealing with national security.
Fixing responsibility and delivering actionable intelligence among security and intelligence agencies would be another major area of focus for the new Government.
