The Last Laugh May Still Belong to Modi
Political victories are like Delhi winters. They arrive with great fanfare and disappear before you know it. The Opposition is celebrating Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as if it has captured the Red Fort. It hasn't. At best, it has won a skirmish. Governments rarely surrender because they are convinced. They retreat because they are calculating. A king occasionally sacrifices a commander to save the fortress. History is full of such examples. Those who mistake the sacrifice for defeat usually discover their error too late. The real story, therefore, is not Pradhan's exit. The real story is what Narendra Modi does after it. If the Centre now shifts its attention to FCRA investigations, the resignation may prove to be a tactical withdrawal rather than a political collapse. Those who believe the NEET agitation was the final act may soon realise it was merely the opening scene. Then comes the second act. The BJP has every political reason to turn the spotlight on Opposition-...
