2024: Do-or-die polls for Congress party
New Indian ExpressHistory tells us that outcomes of epic battles are defined and determined by scale and momentum. The 2024 election is a contest between the BJP led by the omnipresent Narendra Modi, and a fragmented, oftentimes politically dysfunctional opposition. This week, the party found a raw nerve in the political economy and announced a new deal for the youth—30 lakh government jobs, Rs 1-lakh apprentice scheme for graduates and diploma holders, end to paper leaks and social security for gig workers. Congress’s reign was defined by Jawaharlal Nehru, who presented the idea of an India larger than its geographic and economic imprint, Indira Gandhi, who built her equity on nationalism and welfare, and Rajiv Gandhi’s vision of a technologically modern India. Brand Modi represents the idea of India as a rising power, the concept of muscular nationalism, the amplification of pro-poor welfare and the adoption of technology in governance.