WASHINGTON: The 2019 general election could be an “inflection point” in Indian history, and if the Bharatiya Janata Party repeats its 2014 success, it would herald a new era of single-party dominance, says a report of the Congressional Research Service of the US Congress.
In the 2014 election, the BJP won 52 per cent of Lok Sabha seats, marking an end to 30 years of coalition politics at the national level.
The report says the Balakot airstrike has triggered a rise in nationalism which is likely to benefit the BJP.
About the opposition, the report says that Congress Party chief Rahul Gandhi– the inheritor of a family dynasty that includes three past prime ministers–has the highest profile among potential leaders of an opposition coalition, even as his party conveys respect for the aspirations of regional party leaders.
It says that Modi has become “the primary, if not sole target” of the opposition, but no individual challenger has emerged. “Still, the opposition’s zeal to oust the NDA has led to some unusual alliances”, it adds, referring to the alliance between Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh.
On foreign policy, the report says, “Modi has won plaudits for successfully projecting India as the globe’s next big economic opportunity, while many critics say he lacks a coherent strategic vision and has squandered an opportunity to make India a great power.” (AGENCIES)
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