Four reasons why Modi’s BJP swept key India regional elections
Al JazeeraIndia’s right-wing ruling party has scored a resounding victory in regional elections, wresting control of key states in a major boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is set to bid for a third term in national elections in May. In the elections concluded on Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party snatched Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh states from the opposition Indian National Congress party and registered a record fifth term in central Madhya Pradesh. Experts say the grand old party, which led India’s independence struggle against the British colonial power, needs to recalibrate its strategy as Modi has successfully pushed Hindu nationalism to the centre of Indian politics. The Congress party, which was able to obtain only 10 percent of the total political funding, has also questioned the fairness of the electoral bond system, with the BJP receiving three times as many electoral bond funds as all other political parties combined.