The self-declared non-biological Prime Minister Narendra Modi is at it again. He’s doing something he has developed into a fine art over the last decade; it is Modi’s finely honed expertise—namely deploying the weapons of mass distraction. Just when a singularly undistinguished and mediocre National Democratic Alliance government passed a milestone of 100 days in power without any fanfare or Modi-style band baaja baraat, bang! Here comes yet another weapon of mass distraction—One Nation, One Election, or, as the criticism goes, “Oh no!”
On 18 September, the Cabinet cleared the proposal for One Nation, One Election or simultaneous elections for state assemblies and Lok Sabha. The announcement again revealed that Modi is not only unleashing his brand of WMDs, but also that the PM is becoming increasingly distant from reality. Modi inhabits a fantasy bubble where he still thinks of himself as a “divine being”. He believes he is living in a pre-June 2024 era when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) enjoyed absolute majority, and his own personality cult dominated. But today, the so-called “Modi Factor” is on a downward spiral.