New Delhi: It's out with the flashy suit, in with religious tolerance for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking to soften his image after an electoral pounding in New Delhi and grumblings in his party about his top-down leadership style.
Abruptly ending a string of national and regional election victories, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party was thrashed in the capital this month, a defeat many blamed on a perception that Modi was tacitly fanning Hindu extremism.
"The Delhi election results ended the party's honeymoon period with a jolt," a senior BJP leader in New Delhi said, asking not be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
"If we don't start the damage control and make immediate corrections, defeat in other state elections is imminent."
In the space of a week, Modi delivered a long-awaited speech about inter-faith tolerance to a Christian congregation.
Leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad associated with the BJP have cautioned members across India against making comments that "hurt Narendra Modi's image".
A saint-like bust of the Prime Minister was removed from a temple in his home state of Gujarat after he tweeted his disapproval, and a designer suit he wore to meet US President Barack Obama was auctioned for charity in Gujarat.
The navy blue outfit, embroidered with gold pinstripes bearing Modi's name, was mocked by his opponents, and even the party faithful said it undermined the voter-friendly narrative of Modi's humble beginnings as the son of a tea seller.
"Modi's image as a son of a tea vendor was his trump card," said a senior election campaign adviser to the party. "Voters admired his simplicity, but now he is viewed as a flashy leader."
On Friday, the suit was sold for Rs 4.33 crore ($647,765) in Surat to a diamond merchant, a government official involved in the three-day auction said. The proceeds will be used to clean up India's holiest but heavily polluted River Ganges.
'Mistake'
The day before the suit went on auction, Modi broke months of silence after a series of attacks on Christian institutions in New Delhi and vowed to protect all religious groups.
"Voters did not expect him to be silent after churches were attacked," said the BJP leader. "We realise that it was a mistake."
Urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu said the Delhi elections were a setback for the BJP and cause for introspection, but denied Modi had lost touch with voters.
"There is no change in their regard and admiration for Narendra Modi," Naidu said. "People love him."
The day after Naidu spoke, senior BJP official Prodyut Bora quit. In his resignation letter to the party's president, Amit Shah, the rebel complained about the centralisation of power in the prime minister's office.
Bora, who set up the BJP unit that spread the party's message through social media, said Modi's leadership style was damaging democracy within the party.
People might soon forget that Modi's monogrammed pinstripe suit cost as much as crores of rupees ($16,100), Bora told said.
"But the increasing arrogance of top (party) leaders does not seem to be fading away," he said.
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