The Voter Is Rebuilding the Opposition
Every election produces two verdicts. One is announced by the Election Commission. The other is delivered quietly by the voter, often months before politicians and television studios realise what has happened. Bankipur belongs to the second category. Delhi believes it witnessed the BJP losing a seat it had held since 1995. Bihar's voter may have been saying something far more consequential. The real loser may not have been the BJP at all. It may have been the Opposition. For nearly a decade, Indian politics has revolved around one question: who can defeat Narendra Modi? The voter appears to have moved on. He is asking a different question altogether—who deserves to become the Opposition? There is undoubtedly anti-incumbency against the BJP. Inflation hurts, governments make mistakes and local leaders disappoint. But dissatisfaction with the ruling party does not automatically become confidence in those waiting to replace it. The voter has separated the two. He may be unhappy with...
