J&K floods: Will Narendra Modi's leadership and promptness assuage people of Valley?

As Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under its worst natural disaster in history, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government is making every possible effort to rescue those stranded in flooded areas. By announcing an additional aid of Rs 1,000 crore for the flood ravaged state during his visit, and ordering immediate intensification of relief efforts, the Prime Minister has once again proved his leadership skills.

With his pro-active approach and understanding of the gravity of the given situation, Narendra Modi has stolen an opportunity from his opponents to criticise him. Even shocked opposition Congress and National Conference leaders are forced to applaud PM's plan of action.

Reacting to the Centre's prompt response to the flood situation in the area, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh said that the rescue operation was commendable. Another Congress leader and former union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad lauded PM's decision for amount of funds the government released for the reconstruction of infrastructure in the state.

Media is also praising the seriousness shown by the Centre from day one of the Jammu and Kashmir floods. The DMRF, Army, state police and security forces were immediately directed to start rescue operations in the flood hit areas.

Modi has done it in the past as well

Ironically, it was the same Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, who, during last year's deadly Uttarakhand floods, for fast action was condemned by the Congress leaders and a section of the media for rescuing nearly 15,000 Gujaratis, stranded in the flood ravaged region. They even left no chance of dubbing the Gujarat CM as a divisive leader who only cares for the people of his state.

What riled them was the fact that Modi, with a large senior team including 3 IAS, 2 GAS, 1 IPS and 1 IFS officers landed in Uttarakhand, had rescued people belonging to his state, while they were still wondering what should they do. Well, if one goes by the Gujarat government sources whosoever approached them were rescued.

Realising the limitations of relying only on state machinery in Uttarakhand, Modi's team approached many local organisations and NGOs for coordinating relief work, the Gujarat Government officials told. The task force not only rescued nearly 15,000 of the estimated 20,000 Gujaratis present in the hill state but also helped people from other parts as well.

The medical team stayed in the region, even after Narendra Modi rescued the Gujaratis to safer locations, to assist the people stranded in the Uttarakhand. The Modi Government was also the front runners to have announced a fund of Rs 3 crore for Uttarakhand. Others only copied Gujarat government by sending relief materials for the state.

Everyone accused the Gujarat CM of only thinking about his people and garnering media attention by doing so. But during the ongoing J&K floods, Modi has shown as the PM that he is a man who can become an all-India leader. Modi, promptly made an areal survey of the entire flood-hit region and took stock of the situation.

"This is a national-level disaster and the Central Government stands shoulder to shoulder with the State Government and the people of the State in this hour of crisis," Modi had said.

All this will certainly raise the Central government as well as BJP's popularity amongst people of valley. Modi has definitely proven that national crisis is above party politics. Putting aside all the recent differences, he even offered a helping hand to Pakistani government to rescue those trapped in unprecedented flood in PoK.

Is Modi doing this keeping the J&K polls in view?

Modi's prompt actions in the poll-bound state of J&K has also kicked off rumours that all this has been done keeping upcoming state elections in mind. There is anger among people against the Omar Abdullah government for not taking the warnings seriously and did not take precautionary measures to reduce the impact of the floods.

Does Narendra Modi wants to convert the increasing public anger against the Omar Abdullah government into BJP's favour. Riding on Narendra Modi wave, the BJP aspires to form a government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The party had in the Lok Sabha polls achieved fair enough support and now wants to repeat the same in upcoming assembly polls.

The PM's decisions has once again created an impression in the minds of the voters that he is capable of taking stern steps towards them.

Well, whatever may be the reason, one just hopes that Narendra Modi has not done all for the sake of wooing the public for political gains.

Though State election might be the real reason for the support, but then the way everybody right from Centre to State have given the helping hands to flood victim, is laudable. This has set an example that partisan politics will never come in the way of national interests.