India, Nov. 9 -- Narendra Modi may strut around western capitals and wear the most colourful Rajputana turban to raise himself above mere mortals, but for the 500 or so candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha elections, and thousands more in the State legislative and municipal constituencies, it is an almost faceless party or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh cadre who makes the difference between victory and defeat.

Meet the "Panna Pramukh," who is the shepherd and pied piper for the faithful party voter, the driving cog of the BJP's electoral machinery, who has helped Modi out-organise the Opposition where it matters - in the polling booth.

The growing difficulty of dislodging the BJP from power over the last 14 years can...