As the Bharatiya Janata Party seeks reelection in the nation’s upcoming elections, running from April 19th to June 1st, it is capitalizing on India’s continued rise as a top-five world economy that has substantially improved the standard of living in the nation. Under the leadership of Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP, India’s economy has grown at a record-breaking pace. In the third quarter of 2023, India’s economy grew at an annualized rate of 8.4%, the fastest of any economy globally. A significant milestone in India’s ascent was its hosting of the G-20 in 2023, a forum for international economic cooperation that includes the world’s twenty largest economies. This was not just a display of hospitality but a powerful statement of India’s growing influence on the global stage while demonstrating Modi’s vaulting ambitions. During the two-day conference, Modi advocated for reforming global institutions, including the United Nations Security Council, asserting his desire for India to hold permanent member status.
As the election draws on, a question on the minds of millions in the subcontinent is: “What is the price of success?” Modi’s authoritarian grip on all elements of Indian life has heralded a transformative era for the country. His party has continuously pushed ruthless nationalism and an anti-Muslim agenda, both elements of the BJP’s vision of India’s future. The party’s anti-muslim rhetoric has alienated the 172 million Muslims in the nation, a price Modi is willing to pay for his nation’s success. The ruling party has consistently used violence against its political and international opponents as a means to get what it wants, a practice certain to persist in a second term. Finally, the BJP’s ruthless reach into every aspect of Indian life has threatened the human rights of the nation’s citizens. However, even through the massive upheaval, recent polling indicates that the Hindu nationalists will not only maintain their current political influence but expand.
With the general election looming, it seems his political juggernaut has no fundamental obstacle, having cleared away the opposition through legal means. Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister and national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, was jailed on March 21st on corruption charges. A key player in the country’s main opposition alliance, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), his arrest is only one of the many incarcerations carried out by Modi’s government. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), a national agency responsible for upholding economic law and investigating transgressions, has been weaponized by the ruling coalition to go after the opposition. 95% of the political cases filed by the agency in the past ten years have been against the opposition. The opposition and their supporters demonstrate their contempt through written statements and protests.
General elections are now less than ten days away. In the nation of 1.4 billion, preparations and last-minute campaign efforts have begun. India’s largest opposition party, “Congress,” blames the government for employing “tax terrorism” to undermine their campaign efforts. The party claims the government has frozen millions in monetary assets. With a crackdown on opposition leaders coupled with monetary seizures, it is no surprise nearly every poll suggests Narendra Modi’s BJP and his National Democratic Alliance have a sizable lead. The opposition has continued to put up a fight, especially in Southern India, where the ruling party is not as popular. Derek O’Brien, a member of Trinamool Congress, India’s third-largest opposition party, and a leader in parliament, has made a point of voicing his concern with the election commission. He has already filed, according to The Guardian, “dozens of complaints” and has vowed to carry on the fight.
