Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election "formula"

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to win a third consecutive term in the 2024 election year, thanks to two key strategies that attract support from a large number of voters: economic development and the glorification of Hinduism.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a rally on Rampath in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on December 30, 2023. (Source: Hindustan Times)

2024 promises to be a crucial year for India. The upcoming national elections in April-May will be the focus of attention as the results will have a profound impact on national policy. At the same time, 2024 could be the third consecutive year that India becomes the world's fastest-growing major economy.

According to The Guardian , in the current political climate, experts agree that Prime Minister Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will win the upcoming general election.

Specifically, the results of the state polls on December 3, 2023 gave Prime Minister Modi a big advantage when his BJP Party won three elections in major states in December (Hindi states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan). Meanwhile, the opposition Indian National Congress (INC, also known as the Congress Party) only won one victory in the southern state of Telangana.

After this victory, Mr. Modi confidently predicted that “this three consecutive topping in state elections has ensured (his) victory in the 2024 national elections.”

Leading economy

At the recent 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, Prime Minister Modi proudly shared that “At a time when the world is facing many uncertainties, India emerges as a new ray of hope”.

In fact, while global growth is expected to slow from 2.6% to 2.4% in 2024, India’s economy appears to be booming under Prime Minister Modi, with the country’s economy growing by 7.6% in the third quarter of 2023, the highest of any major economy globally.

According to the Financial Times , Prime Minister Modi will take advantage of the economic achievements during his 10 years in power to affirm his position and prestige in the upcoming election.

Looking back, in 2013, international financial and investment firm Morgan Stanley identified India as one of the “Fragile Five” – Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa and Türkiye. These countries are among the group of emerging economies that are vulnerable due to their heavy dependence on foreign investment to boost their economies.

Ten years later, however, India has become one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies. According to Ernst & Young, India will have a GDP of $26 trillion by 2047. At the same time, the country is also an important destination in the “China Plus One” strategy for companies looking to reduce their dependence on the Chinese market and expand their business to other countries.

These impressive economic achievements are a solid stepping stone for Prime Minister Modi, helping him potentially become the first non-Congress person to hold the position of Prime Minister for three consecutive terms.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the inauguration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. (Source: BT)

Honoring Hinduism

Aside from the economy, most polls suggest that Prime Minister Modi’s BJP party is likely to win the upcoming election thanks to strong support from Hindu voters, who make up about 80% of India’s population.

The BJP has implemented a number of policies to glorify Hinduism and used this to boost its electoral performance. One of them was the implementation of the Ram Mandir movement, a major turning point in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political career.

The Ram Mandir movement focuses on rebuilding the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, considered the birthplace of Lord Ram, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. For Prime Minister Modi, the construction of the Ram Temple is not only a celebration of Hindu nationalism, but also a core election project of the BJP.

This will help boost Hindu voter support for the BJP and Mr Modi, especially from populous areas like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

However, the restoration of the Ram Mandir temple is a controversial issue in contemporary Indian society. The temple has long been the scene of decades-long disputes between Hindu and Muslim communities. In 2019, the Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh ruled that the disputed land should be given to Hindus.

At the same time, the federal government will set up a trust fund to build the Ram temple, and Muslims will be given land elsewhere to build mosques. That same year, while campaigning for a second term, Mr. Modi made a pledge to rebuild the Ram temple.

The Ram Temple began construction in 2020 and is now nearing completion. India inaugurated the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 and opened it to the public on January 23. The opening of the temple ahead of the national elections could be a major coup for Prime Minister Modi, who has a strong grip on Hindu sentiment.

It can be said that Prime Minister Modi is likely to win the upcoming election with strong support from voters. The combination of economic achievements and glorification of Hinduism could be a successful electoral “formula” for the BJP and Prime Minister Modi. However, Mr. Modi still needs to be careful in his strategy and decisions in the context of increasing Hindu-Muslim tensions.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/cong-thuc-bau-cu-cua-thu-tuong-an-do-narendra-modi-258340.html