The general elections of 2024 have been extraordinary. An NDA government has now been sworn in, led by those who cobbled up the numbers but have lost the narrative and credibility. Paradoxically, those who fell short of the numbers have won the battle of ideas. Equality, pluralism, and collective leadership have triumphed over cronyism, Hindutva and autocracy.
That the Narendra Modi-led BJP, which contested on domineering slogans like “we will get over 400 seats,” and “Modi’s Guarantee”, which centred its campaign on Modi’s media-amplified “divine, non-biological” personality, which made Modi its sole candidate in all 543 seats, could not even reach the majority mark of 272, conveys only one message. Verdict 2024 is a rejection of Modi’s brand of authoritarian politics. But the battle for democracy cannot end just because elections have concluded. It must continue with renewed vigour.
