Comeback script

Politics and economics of cash transfers must be debated

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The year 2024 is set to go down in history as one of the most remarkable election years in India. Against all predictions, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha elections.

Among the states where it suffered setbacks were Haryana and Maharashtra, which were slated to go for Assembly elections later in the year. A week is said to be a long time in politics. The gap between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections—first in Haryana, and now in Maharashtra—was certainly long enough for the BJP to bounce back. However, it's not about the BJP alone.

Despite numerous odds, the return of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led alliance to power in Jharkhand is also equally remarkable.

While the latest round of the Assembly election results will be analyzed for weeks to come, the outcomes in Maharashtra and Jharkhand had something strikingly common. In both the states, the ruling alliances came back to power with a bigger majority.