What explains the BJP’s rise? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — the world’s largest political party — is widely expected to win. India’s direct benefits program is by far the most tangible source of the BJP’s mass appeal. In the 2019 election, members who switched from rival parties to the BJP won 56.52 percent of the time, compared to 14.9 percent for those who switched to other parties. The BJP would need to guard against the pathologies of incumbency, lest it starts looking like Congress, once a great political party whose relevance is currently being questioned by many.
