Explained : Amit Shah, The Chanakya of Indian Politics and Its Impact

India, a country of around 1.5 billion people, has given great minds to the world in literature, science, astronomy, sports, music, and politics, contributing immensely to global progress. In a nation with such a vast population, it becomes very difficult to earn recognition, and at the international level, it is even more challenging to make a mark considering the saturation and competitiveness of today’s world. Yet, some individuals rise to the top and are remembered for eternity.
In politics, it is even harder to leave a lasting imprint on people’s minds, given the complex and volatile nature of the field. If we talk about India, there have been numerous politicians, both pre- and post-independence, who became legends in the field of politics for their political understanding and vision, and who are still discussed today. In contemporary India, many politicians are likely to be remembered for a long time, but a few stand out from the crowd. At the top of this elite hierarchy lies the Chanakya of Indian politics, Mr. Amit Shah, a political strategist and policy maestro.
Amit Shah is the current and 32nd Home Minister of the Republic of India, serving since 2019, making him the longest-serving holder of the office in India’s history. Additionally, he has been the first Minister of Cooperation since July 2021. He is also a Member of Parliament representing Gandhinagar. He served as the 10th president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2014 to 2020 and has served as chairman of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) since 2014. He was elected as a member of the upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, from Gujarat from 2017 to 2019. Shah is regarded as the chief strategist of the BJP and an ardent ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The journey of Mr. Shah is quite remarkable, from Gujarat to New Delhi and eventually to the international political podium. Born in 1964 in Mumbai, Shah began his political journey by joining the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1982. Soon, he joined its student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and gradually rose through the hierarchy owing to his articulation and organizational skills.

His first major breakthrough came during the 2001 Gujarat Assembly election when he won his seat from the Sarkhej constituency in Ahmedabad. He won by the highest margin of all candidates, securing 158,036 votes. With time, he rose through the ranks and worked closely with the Chief Minister of the state. At one point, he held 12 portfolios, a record that speaks for itself regarding his credibility and administrative efficiency. He made his presence felt across the political landscape of the state.
It was in 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre, that he emerged as a national political figure, propelling him from state to national politics. Many analysts believe that Mr. Shah was the main architect in bringing the BJP to power at the Centre and in brokering alliances between parties to forge what is commonly known as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), earning him monikers such as “modern-day Chanakya” and “master strategist.” Mr. Shah’s rise in national politics is nothing short of remarkable political manoeuvring and is a story worth recounting. Not only at the Centre, he has also helped the party win in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and more importantly, Jammu and Kashmir. In both the 2014 and 2019 elections, his strategies played a key role in strengthening the party’s position and allowing the government to establish its presence in a strategically important region. His focus on careful planning, booth-level management, and strong organization helped the party expand beyond its traditional strongholds. He also played an important role in brokering an alliance between the BJP and the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir to form a government. This move gave the party a major political boost and marked a significant moment in its expansion into the region. It showed his ability to take bold decisions and build alliances when required for larger political goals.
His political career saw significant consolidation after the 2014 general elections. First, in Uttar Pradesh, a major state and a pivotal factor in deciding the outcomes of general elections, where Mr. Shah was in charge of the campaign, the BJP and its allies won 73 out of 80 seats. Shah was appointed in charge of the BJP’s campaign in Uttar Pradesh on 12 June 2013, less than a year before the elections. Many experts attributed this massive victory to Shah’s strategic planning. When asked about the success, Mr. Shah replied, “I spent considerable time in UP assessing the dissatisfaction with the government and what it failed to deliver.” It is also believed that appropriate candidate selection in each constituency was a key factor in the BJP’s success in Uttar Pradesh.
This victory helped Shah make a deeper imprint within the party’s internal dynamics and emerge as a prominent national face of the party at the national level. All of this unfolded during his tenure as BJP president. He also played a crucial role in helping the BJP secure victory in the 2024 general elections. He was a star campaigner for the part in 2014, his strategic planning, campaigning style, grassroots outreach, consistent track record, and ability to connect with large crowds and ordinary citizens made him a central factor in securing a significant win.
After the BJP formed the government at the Centre, he oversaw key decisions such as allocating portfolios. However, he himself did not take office in any government ministry, choosing instead to continue as president of the party and remain the principal architect of the newly formed alliance. It is often observed that political alliances are fragile, but the BJP-led NDA alliance did not witness any major cracks during those five years. Its stability is frequently credited to Mr. Shah for his administrative efficiency and political management. Over the years, Mr. Shah worked tirelessly away from the camera and the public eye, and his efforts yielded significant results when the BJP secured a landslide victory in the 2019 general election. Much of the credit for this victory is often given to Mr. Shah for his work at both the grassroots level and the policy level
By 2019, the situation in the country was different than it had been in 2014. Owing to the prevailing circumstances at that time, Mr. Shah assumed office in one of the most critical ministries of the Government of India. He was sworn in as the Home Minister of India in 2019, embracing a responsibility that demands relentless effort, particularly in a vast and diverse country like India. However, Mr. Shah appeared prepared to fulfil that responsibility. As soon as he took office, he initiated several key reforms, with his primary focus remaining on national security and counterterrorism. The manner in which he addressed these crucial aspects of governance deserves careful study and analysis; these may well be described as Mr. Shah’s unique strengths. He significantly transformed the posture of India’s national security framework and its approach toward cross-border terrorism, shifting from a predominantly defensive stance to a more assertive and strategically offensive-defensive doctrine. His policy of zero tolerance toward terrorism is one of the defining features of his tenure. These approaches have yielded visible results. India’s national security apparatus has shown marked improvement in recent years, with agencies and security forces responding more decisively to threats, be they internal or external. Instances of instability or security disturbances have been addressed with greater speed and coordination. On the counterterrorism front, his strategy has been clear: nip the evil in the bud. Terrorists and their sympathisers have been dealt with stringently under the legal and security framework of the state. How India has acted upon terror attacks has well been documented in operations like 2016 Surgical strike, Balakot Airstrike 2019 and operation sindoor in May last year.
The drop in terror incidents in the country in the major testimony to this approach. This shift is reflected in India’s rising position in global assessments related to security enhancement, international cooperation, and its contribution to the global fight against terrorism.
Much of his attention has gone to Kashmir, a Himalayan territory known for its natural beauty and complex political history. Over the years, the security situation in the region has improved to levels that were once unimaginable. In Jammu and Kashmir, the government’s approach has been transparent and decisive essentially, to take the bull by its horns. Terrorism and separatist activities have declined to levels from which revival appears impossible. The region has witnessed growing peace and normalcy in recent years. Businesses run smoothly, schools function regularly, tourism is thriving, and development initiatives are visibly progressing. Incidents such as killings, prolonged shutdowns, and stone-pelting once frequent are now history. Even individuals who once advocated separatism are now participating in the democratic process. Some have publicly acknowledged the changing ground realities, contested elections, and distanced themselves from earlier rhetoric. Organizations such as Jamaat-e-Islami, once regarded as hardline, have seen shifts in their political engagement, with members forming electoral alliances and campaigning openly. The record voter turnout in the two most recent elections bears testimony to these changes. Such transformations do not occur overnight; they are the result of sustained strategy, long-term policy planning, and consistent administrative effort.
In mentioning Mr. Shah’s command, authority, and control, one must not overlook his compassion and down-to-earth conduct. Mr. Shah may appear aggressive and outspoken to the public, but he is equally compassionate and considerate toward his staff, coworkers, and subordinates. I recall his first visit after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. When he went to address the public from the stage, he asked his security personnel to remove the bulletproof glass shield. He reportedly remarked that these were his own people and that he did not require any shield, as the people themselves were his protection. The gesture was symbolic and conveyed confidence and trust in the citizens. He has also often been seen visiting victims of terrorism, travelling to their residences whether rural or urban to offer condolences. Apart from expressing sympathy, such actions sent a clear message to the outside world about the improved security environment and the confidence with which a VVIP could travel across Kashmir.
The sole question remains: how does Mr. Shah do it? How does he combine perfect execution with firm command and yet show compassion toward his team? The answer lies in the mindset of Amit Shah himself. Mr. Shah believes in proper assessment before execution. He studies every situation carefully, collects facts, understands risks, and then takes decisions. He does not act in haste. His strength comes from preparation and planning. Amit Shah’s mindset is practical and focused. He believes that strong leadership requires discipline, clarity, and teamwork. At the same time, he values loyalty and cares for party workers and colleagues. People who work with him often say he listens carefully before giving directions. This balance of sharp thinking and human understanding makes his leadership effective.
There is so much to talk about Mr. Shah but cannot be summed up here. So, in simple words, his success comes from thinking deeply, planning properly, and acting confidently. That is how he turns ideas into results.

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