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Democratic Win

The NDA is back for a consecutive third term and PM Modi is only the second prime minister to win three successive terms as leader of the ruling party. Much has been written about the kind of victory the BJP-led NDA secured in the 2024 Parliamentary election. BJP depends on two regional parties, JDU and Telugu Desam, for a stable government. BJP will not be able to further its Hindutva ideology through legislation like the Uniform Civil Code. At the same time, the BJP has a five-year tenure to rectify some of the mistakes and be in a poll position for the 2029 election. 

The recent budget is indicative of this strategy to win back the lost groups and aim for a majority in the next election. The first full budget of the new government showered large on the middle class, once seen as the support base of the BJP. It had its immediate impact on the Delhi Assembly elections, where the BJP came back to power after 27 years ousting the AAP government. The breakdown of the INDIA alliance and the charges of corruption, though unproved, coupled with the inability to tackle the air-water pollution in Delhi saw the end of a political experiment. 

The key takeaway from the two elections- the general election 2024 and the Delhi election 2025- is that perception matters. The perception that the BJP is going to tamper with the Constitution stuck to some extent in BJP losing its majority. The pre-poll alliance in Bihar and AP helped the BJP to retain power without getting a majority. Similarly, in the case of Delhi, AAP's reluctance to forge an alliance with the Congress cost them the election and more importantly pride. BJP proved that it will come to power if there is a divided opposition. In the end, democracy prevailed and the people of India spoke out loud and clear.


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