How Modi won the BJP primaries in American fashion

The BJP is unique among Indian parties for one simple reason and that reason is not Hindutva: it is the only party outside the shadowy Communists parties which is not run by one person or one family. Other parties don't have to declare their PM or even CM nominees because that's preordained. Everyone knows it's the boss. (Check if BSP or Shiv Sena or AIADMK or Trinamool workers have any doubts about who their CM nominee would be). The BJP's internal heartburn in recent months over Modi's candidature is directly related to the fact that it is different. The party leadership is not an inherited heirloom or private property.

Non-family political concerns have to find a way to elect their leaders. The interesting thing is Modi has found a way to make the BJP to take note of his candidature without following the murky consensus route. His impending nomination can be compared to an American-style primary executed in an entirely Indian way and even without an actual vote. In the process, he has also made the next Lok Sabha race a presidential one.