Mumbai, May 7, 2026
Novelist and columnist Shobhaa De on Thursday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing him as a “very charismatic leader.” In the same breadth, she added that the Congress party needs re-grooming and strong leadership.
Speaking to IANS, Shobhaa De said, “You can’t call it the magic of just one man. He’s a very charismatic leader, and no one can take that away from him. But a country of our size cannot depend solely on the magic of any one man. It has to be something much more solid that inspires confidence among citizens. They have a very powerful system at the ground level.”
She further said that the ruling party has highly competent people who work cohesively and systematically.
“It takes a lot of planning to win elections. Their IT team is very strong, and they seem to understand the psychology of voters. They do not take voters for granted. They work systematically towards achieving their goals,” she added.
Commenting on the INDIA bloc, Shobhaa De said, “Whether the INDIA alliance is a good idea or not, I don’t think it is. We need a powerful Opposition to balance the one-party rule. If Mamata Banerjee plays the role of Leader of the Opposition, then she could perform that role very effectively.”
Speaking about the Congress party, she said, “I would say leadership is the main issue to start with, along with the lack of any clearly stated policy that people can identify with. Now, Rahul Gandhi has offered support to Vijay in Tamil Nadu, but that is only on paper. What sort of support is it?”
She further added, “The Congress needs re-grooming. Every party goes through highs and lows, but right now they are at their lowest point.
Their credibility is also at its lowest. A lot of people across India may know Rahul Gandhi’s name, but they do not know what he stands for. Unless he clearly defines his policies and the party’s direction for the next five years, it appears that the party is gradually losing the ground it once held.”(Agency)
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