MKI ELECTION ASSESSMENT – Zsolt Trembeczki

Despite every prediction, India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of securing an absolute majority, let alone the Constitution-rewriting supermajority they hoped for. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the first time in his career, will have to rely on the support of coalition partners to govern. The opposition alliance led by the Indian National Congress, defied expectations of a poor showing and displayed remarkable coordination in fielding candidates and staying on message (mostly focusing on economic inequality and the dangers of BJP’s power grab). The result’s impact on India’s economy will be twofold: on the one hand, necessary but politically painful reforms will likely slow down under coalition pressure and, on the other hand, the likelihood of harmful voluntarist actions or legislation targeting India’s vulnerable Muslim minority will also decrease. In international affairs continuity should be expected, with a slight decrease in the priority of foreign policy.

The full analysis is available here.