Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his populist rhetoric have led his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party to decisive electoral triumphs in recent state elections. The BJP held Madhya Pradesh with a resounding win, while also taking control of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Congress got a big win in Telangana, beating a regional party that has won every election since the state was created in 2014. Put another way, the BJP took home thumping wins in all three states in which it was considered competitive. This does not augur well for India which, under Modi, has steadily drifted into the realm of “electoral autocracy” with its secular and democratic credentials repeatedly called into question.

Source: The Express Tribune December 05, 2023 07:27 UTC