India Shining, 20 years on

Three reasons why 2024 is not like 2004

Twenty years ago, a popular Union government went back to the people, expecting a fresh mandate to govern. The prime minister was clearly the best-loved politician in the country by far, and the Opposition was led by a leader of unknown abilities who had never won an election. The political instincts of the ruling party were unparalleled, and it had won the previous election on a surge of nationalism. The country felt optimistic, and on the cusp of an economic boom. The world was paying attention to India for the first time, and events like Davos seemed devoted to praising