The Modi Cult Is Far From Finished While the prime minister's popularity has undoubtedly plummeted due to the government's mismanagement of the second COVID-19 wave, it does precious little to challenge his entrenched and flush-funded electoral machine. Narendra Modi. Photo: pmindia.gov.in Politics4 hours ago Narendra Modi is surely passing through his worst patch ever as prime minister, but then, there is no reason to view this seven yearsâ âitchâ of the people as the beginning of his end. The sudden fury against his regimeâs disastrous handling of COVID-19 was sparked off in the national capital and other urban pockets of power by shocking visuals of endless funeral pyres and by horror stories of âpeople we knowâ gasping to death for want of oxygen. What was so utterly preposterous was that COVID-19 did not give any consideration to status, connections and other visible capabilities of the urban elite to beat all raps.