NEW DELHI, March 4 -- We all have our moods, individually and collectively, as a nation. India Today, the nation's leading weekly, published an "Exclusive Mood of the Nation Poll" in its issue dated 19th February. I am not a number cruncher or an analyst, but as a writer, I like to read between the lines, so here goes.

The cover page shows a warrior like Narendra Modi marching ahead of the Army and Naval Chiefs of Staff. The headline reads "Heading for a Hat-Trick", and the by-line is "His personal popularity still high, PM Narendra Modi and the BJP are set to return".

Let us read between the lines before some start brooding over this headline. Having done so, I can confidently say, "Don't judge the magazine by its cover". It is a cleve...