Nobody in India's opposition parties can match Modi's popularity: Analyst

Congress is in a state of disarray. There’s little doubt about that. Its trying. Its cobbled together along with other opposition parties, an alliance called the India alliance. India it is. It has been sort of you know, involved in seat sharing talks and some of it is proved to be successful. But I don’t think they have a coherent narrative to match Prime Ministers Modi. They could talk about unemployment, They could talk about the electoral bond scheme, which was a fundraising mechanism which has been declared unconstitutional this year. But I don’t think the narrative they have stitched together a coherent narrative to match not just the BJP is active, but also the incredible popularity of Prime Minister Modi himself. There’s no one in the opposition to match that kind of popularity. What do you make of these accusations and claims of ethno, nationalism, authoritarianism that Modi and the BJP is using the economic directorate as a tool to stifle opposition? Is it? Is it clear that India under Modi is moving in a more authoritarian direction? Well, you know the the jury is out on that. But there is little doubt that institutions, democratic institutions have been undermined in a serious manner. The the freedom of the press is an issue. As I mentioned earlier, opposition leaders have been targeted. Some of them have been put into jail. As I mentioned earlier the the electoral bond scheme whereby the BJP raised an incredible amount of election funds has also made the in playing field very skewed. So there are, you know definite worries about the the quality of Indian democracy the elections. There is little doubt that it will be you know, free and fair but the the playing field definitely definitely skewed and that that’s that’s a real worry. And you mentioned the ethno nationalism we just had the consecration or the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, which is one of the key parts of the BJPS electoral agenda that’s been fulfilled And all indications are that is going to be a major campaign issue for the BJP over the next month. So there there are, you know, worries about ethnonationalism and what might one might say in some everyday inter religious or communal tension. Ronald Joy, can Modi and the BJP count on the agrarian vote, on the farmers vote when they have been up in arms, when they have been escalating their protests? And the farmers, let’s not forget their sizable voter base, right. You know that the farmers are a important constituency, but they are sort of scattered across the country and the nuances are also quite, quite different. So it could make a difference in parts of the country, particularly in some of the northern states like Punjab, Haryana, where the discontent among farmers, especially somewhat larger or bigger farmers, is definitely real. But I’m not sure whether that’s going to swing the vote in the oppositions favour. I think issues like unemployment, which is which is real, really an issue that resonates with the equity. If that is something that the the opposition can target and and aspire to, to, to convince voters, that could be an issue. But again, as I said, you know, the opposition as of now does not have a narrative to match the BJPS and Prime Minister Modi.