MODI'S BIG ELECTORAL HURDLES

FOR THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE BJP, THE NINE STATE ELECTIONS WILL BE THE SEMIFINALS FOR THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION; FOR THE CONGRESS, ITS LAST CHANCE TO REVIVE

- RAJ CHENGAPPA

Narendra Modi created history of sorts when he led the Bharatiya Janata Party to back-to-back victories in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, equalling a feat that was last achieved more than 50 years ago, by Indira Gandhi in 1971. However, when ame it came to assembly elections, doubts were raised about the prime minister's pulling power. In the 23 state polls held between 2018 and 2021, the BJP's only outright wins came in the northeastern states of Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. The rest of its victories, be it in Maharashtra, Bihar, three northeastern states or in Puducherry, cam in alliance with other parties. Only in 2022, when the BJP registered three convincing wins in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttarakhand, did the Modi magic appear in full flow. While that is good news for the BJP, the narrow defeat in Himachal Pradesh due to internal schisms served as a sobering reminder of the threat within.