I am a master in India

Chapter 279 Democracy Is Not Expensive

Adniwa's office, which was originally crowded with people, was immediately cleared out after hearing Modi's report.

“Mr. Sue, you’ve come at the perfect time.” He seemed pleased.

“I told you, I’d lend you a hand when it matters.” Ron waved his hand, and several large travel bags were placed at his feet.

“You are a friend of the BJP forever!” Adniwa said, opening his arms wide.

“I’m honored,” Ron said, going over to hug him.

The most common form of greeting in India is the wai (hands together) or the forehead salute, which is appropriate for most occasions.

Hugging, a gesture that is somewhat intimate, is usually something that is rarely seen.

In India, this represents allies, brothers, and friends, signifying a closer relationship.

The BJP has now opened its arms to Ron, thanks in large part to those few packets of money.

"Come and see! Our situation is excellent!" Adniwa waved.

Ron walked over and found a large sand table in the middle of the office. The map of Gujarat was divided into 182 patches according to the electoral districts.

Each constituency had small flags: a lotus flower representing the BJP, a hand representing the MIC, and a bicycle representing the Socialist Party.

“According to preliminary opinion polls, the BJP’s support rate is close to one-third,” Adniwa said proudly, pointing to the lotus-lined path on the map.

“An absolute lead.” Ron nodded.

“That’s right, if we win half of the constituencies, Gujarat will belong to the great BJP.”

"This will be a historic victory."

“Yes, it’s historic, unprecedented, and the first time for the BJP. But the Congress Party is sticking tight, so we can’t let our guard down.” Adniwa pointed to several areas in the north of the map and said, “These swing zones are the key battleground for both sides.”

Ron leaned over and took a look; those places were north of Mondra, near the Barba sheep.

It's easy to guess that these constituencies are relatively economically underdeveloped, and people are more cautious about who to vote for.

They hope their votes can have some effect, such as solving local employment problems, or even just distributing something.

To put it bluntly, the villagers there are just waiting for the highest bidder. They'll choose whichever party offers the most, regardless of ideology.

"There's a very important speech there in a few days, you should come with me."

“No problem.” Ron certainly wouldn’t miss this opportunity to do someone a favor.

Adding flowers to brocade is meaningless; only providing charcoal in the snow can truly demonstrate its value.

The ten million rupees he brought was the key to the BJP's victory in the swing constituency.

So-called bribery in elections requires money, right?
Modi, as the party's secretary-general, personally decided how the money would be spent.

After about two or three days of preparation, Ron followed them to several impoverished areas in northern Gujarat.

The roads there were very difficult to travel on, full of potholes and muddy. Sometimes the car would get stuck in the mud, and they would have to get out and push it together.

The roar of motorcycles could be heard from time to time on the road. Behind me was a simple little shop selling snacks and cigarettes, with a sunshade supported by two wooden poles.

Not far away is a temple called Qingzheng Temple, and you can still see its four green and white minarets through the trees.

This place is called Pujie. You can feel its desolation at a glance. On both sides of the road are farmers growing mustard greens and wheat.

There are almost no factories; the only industry that can be called brick kilns is the brick kilns, whose conical chimneys can often be seen dotting the farmland.

In larger towns, signs of development are visible; newly erected utility poles are covered with black wires, indicating that electricity has not yet been supplied.

Many walls in the town are made of brick, but as soon as you turn into a nearby village, the road quickly turns into a dirt road, and the houses become dilapidated shacks made of mud and straw.

Buying democracy in a place like this won't come cheap.

In rural India, the poorer people are, the stronger their greed tends to be, because they often face the attempts to win over three or four different political parties.

There are few opposition parties in Gujarat, but their influx into swing states will make elections more intense and expensive.

No wonder Adniwa was so enthusiastic when he saw Ron; only a big businessman like him could afford to spend that much money.

The large political rally convened by the BJP was held in Phuket, about 60 kilometers from the southern coastline.

When Ron arrived at the rally site in the morning, the place was packed with people, roughly numbering in the tens of thousands, mostly men.

The BJP's fervent supporters wore orange clothing, waved flags, and chanted campaign slogans.

Local villagers stood in small groups on the rooftops near the venue, the upcoming event being nothing less than a grand entertainment feast for them.

When Indian politicians go to the countryside to participate in rallies, they inevitably make a big fuss and make it known to everyone; the more extravagant the lineup, the better.

Unlike Ron, who made a low-key entrance in a single car, Adniwa had an entire convoy.

The first and last six vehicles were police cars maintaining order, followed by imported luxury cars such as Audi and BMW, and in the very middle was a Mercedes-Benz truck.

The vehicle was decorated as a chariot from Hindu tradition, with garlands, flags, and sculptures representing deities.

Adniwa stood on the platform of the truck, waving to the surroundings. Every time he turned in a different direction, a cheer would erupt.

Mo Daxian followed closely beside him, acting as a political advisor while also enjoying the cheers of the crowd. Ron stared intently at the figure, a smile playing on his lips.

The Immortal was in exceptionally good condition today, looking radiant and full of vigor. Perhaps only politics could move him.

The convoy slowly approached the stage, and the crowd surged towards it like a tide.

Adniwa, supported by the sage, stepped onto the stage, wearing a bright yellow short jacket and a green scarf draped over his shoulders.

He captivated the audience for an hour with his Hindi and highly persuasive speech.

In his speech, he also harshly criticized the Congress Party for its inaction, saying they were corrupt, condoned cronyism, used dirty money, and sold off state resources at bargain prices.

As Ron listened, he began to feel something was off. Was this really not about him?
“I was born to serve the poor. Unlike the high-achieving students of the Congress Party who turned a blind eye to the plight of the people of Jep, I brought them what the people of Jep wanted most: jobs!”

"Work! Work!" the supporters in the audience shouted.

"I am pleased to announce that, thanks to the efforts of our Party, the renowned patriotic enterprise, Suer Electric, will be building a super-large industrial park in Gujarat!"

"Long live the great BJP!" A group of people at the front of the stage, holding yellow flags, wearing orange hats and lotus badges on their chests, waved their arms vigorously.

"This mega-park can provide at least 40,000 jobs, which means 40,000 families will have their income guaranteed. This is a great victory!"

Another round of cheers followed, as hundreds of BJP members, under Modi's direction, distributed small yellow flags, hats, and badges to the surrounding crowd free of charge.

That's how the cheering squad came about; many of them were brought from nearby villages by buses sent by the organizers, and some might even have received an appearance fee of several dozen rupees.

"It is an honor to introduce Mr. Ron Suer, the founder and leader of Suer Electric Appliances, to you today. He will give you an explanation."

Amidst thunderous applause, Ron, who had been prepared all along, stepped onto the stage from the side.

The audience was very excited; they never expected it to actually be Suer Electric Appliances!
Everyone understands the principle that you should just listen to what politicians say and let it go.

Who knew the BJP was serious!
What do people in impoverished constituencies lack most? Two pounds of rice? Or a few dozen rupees?
No, they lack a secure job.

If everyone has income, no! As long as most people have income, then the economy of this region can be revitalized.

That would eliminate impoverished constituencies, and that would be the best way to address the root cause.

“Gujarat is a very vibrant place, and I can feel your enthusiasm.” Before Ron could finish speaking into the microphone, flags began to wave.

Yes, Master Mo is weaving through the crowd, encouraging people to cheer.

His orange shirt was already soaked with sweat, and his beard trembled slightly with each shout.

Back in the day, even the most powerful immortals would scream for me, and Ron was secretly thrilled.

That 10 million rupees was well worth it; I doubt many people will enjoy such treatment again in the future.

Ron made up his mind that once he went downstairs, he would find the reporter who had taken the picture.

He wanted to buy the film, wash a few sheets, and then frame them in the showroom.

"As Mr. Adniwa said, Sur Electric has a grand plan in Gujarat."

Ron's speech was brief, only briefly introducing Suer Electric's future plans and the mining company that would be opened near Mondra.

They all offer a lot of jobs, especially the mining companies, which are very close to Jep, just an hour away by motorcycle.

The presence of such a company right in their neighborhood is extremely attractive to the audience, who don't need to travel thousands of miles by train to the developed city of Ahmedabad.

That's good; who would want to leave their hometown?

Ron's time on stage was short, but he received prolonged applause and cheers.

Adniwa seized the opportunity to once again promote the various governing principles of the BJP.

"Economy. Gujarat"—how fitting for the theme!

Just by looking at the scene, you can tell that this speech must have been very successful.

Ron stood backstage, looking around and silently estimating the cost of such a large gathering.

The venue included a motorcade, a stage, video equipment, sunshades erected for local dignitaries, and security personnel with bamboo sticks scattered throughout the venue to maintain order.

Then there are the crowds who received appearance fees, and the various campaign materials distributed for free, which cost at least a million rupees.

These are just the visible expenses; other costs, such as opinion polls, political consultants, street billboards, and television advertising, all require money.

Indian elections are that straightforward; they rely entirely on political parties throwing money at it. Whoever has more money has the biggest advantage.

Today's speech was a great success, as can be seen from the smile on Mo Daxian's face.

“Mr. Suhr, the Jep constituency has been embraced by our party.”

"Congratulations," Ron said with a smile.

"This is a victory for all of us."

"Yes, it's a victory for all of us."

See, democracy in India is actually not expensive and requires little technology.

(End of this chapter)