2019 Election and the Future of Indian Democracy
| Author | Rekha Diwakar |
| Date | 01 September 2019 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2041905819871838 |
| Published date | 01 September 2019 |
12 POLITICAL INSIGHT • SEPTEMBER 2019
The 2019 national election in
India, the country’s 17th, saw
the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) retain power
and improve its seat and vote share. It was
an extraordinary victory in a country as
diverse as India, and reinforced the BJP as the
dominant political force and Modi’s status as
the most powerful political leader. Modi had
previously led the BJP to victory in the 2014
national election, which was the rst time any
party was able to win a majority in 30 years.
In his rst term as Prime Minister, Modi
ran a relatively ecient and corruption-
free administration but was criticised by
opposition parties for condoning an anti-
Muslim stance adopted by some BJP leaders,
and subverting democratic institutions and
processes for electoral gains. He was also
accused of promoting an aggressive form
of Hindu nationalism despite promising
inclusive development for all communities.
2019 campaign
In 2019, the opposition parties’ election
campaign focused on the negative impact of
Modi’s policies, in particular, ‘demonetisation’,
a measure delegitimising certain currency
2019 Election
and the
Future
of Indian
Democracy
Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party
won an impressive victory in India’s recent General Election. Modi’s
dominance presents both opportunities and dangers for Indian
democracy writes Rekha Diwakar.
notes, and an inecient implementation
of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Farmers’ distress, rising unemployment and
a deteriorating economic situation, were
other attack lines highlighted by opposition
campaigners.
The BJP, on the other hand, projected Modi
as a decisive leader and focused on his track
record of rooting out corruption and bringing
forward policies that beneted all sections
of society, especially the poor and the
marginalised. The BJP also claimed to be the
only party that had the political will to take
strong action against Pakistan for its alleged
support of anti-India terrorist organisations.
The Indian Air Force’s strike against alleged
terror camps in Balakot, Pakistan, at the eve of
the election was used to invoke nationalistic
sentiment and was cited as evidence of
Modi’s eective leadership. Modi presented
© Press Association
Political Insight SEPT2019.indd 12 01/08/2019 14:10
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