For many India observers this is an outcome that has been not only welcome but also a hopeful beginning of the end of a Modi-like regime. But then Indian politics does throw up surprises. One possible effect, although independent of the Bihar outcome, is the joining of forces of the CPM and Congress in West Bengal to oust the Trinamul Congress (TMC) headed by Ms. Mamata Banerjee. CPM ruled the state for more than three decades and has the reputation of allegedly ruining the state. It was ousted by the unpredictable Ms. Banerjee (of course many former CPM cadres (one might say thugs) now work for the TMC.
FWIW here's a podcast on Modi done a few months ago and a link to a blog piece. Podcast: https://theconversation.com/speaking-with-anthony-dcosta-on-the-challenges-facing-indias-economy-43913 http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/10/25/modis-mantra-to-make-in-india/ Anthony xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Anthony P. D'Costa, Chair & Professor of Contemporary Indian Studies Australia India Institute and School of Social & Political Sciences University of Melbourne, 147-149 Barry Street, Carlton VIC 3053, AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 3 9035 6161, http://www.aii.unimelb.edu.au/ <https://owa.unimelb.edu.au/owa/redir.aspx?C=KGdpeyp6YEyjUaiENKoAtx8nOn9uStAIlCVtCNE3uLxqkGIwkWdEYjJXILfPlddrM0Q1713syQQ.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.aii.unimelb.edu.au%2f> ICAS 9 Adelaide: http://www.icas9.com/workshop-SASAA.php *New Book: *After-Development Dynamics (on South Korea) http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780198729433.do *Forthcoming Book: **http://www.tandf.net/books/details/9780415564953/ <http://www.tandf.net/books/details/9780415564953/>* *New Book Series (Dynamics of Asian Development)* *http://www.springer.com/series/13342 <http://www.springer.com/series/13342>* xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx On Mon, Nov 9, 2015 at 8:15 AM, raghu <[email protected]> wrote: > I am officially calling the popping of the Modi bubble: > > http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/08/narendra-modis-party-concedes-defeat-in-bihar-election > ---------------------------snip > > India’s ruling party has conceded defeat in a provincial election seen as > a test of the vote-winning abilities and political strategy of the prime > minister, Narendra Modi <http://www.theguardian.com/world/narendra-modi>. > [...] > > So far, the economic takeoff Modi promised during last year’s election has > proved elusive. > > More broadly, Sunday’s defeat in Bihar, which has a population of 105 > million, might indicate that though Modi, a Hindu nationalist who started > his career with a rightwing religious and cultural revivalist organisation, > still retains significant national popularity and momentum, his appeal to > voters has begun to wane. > > An anti-Modi alliance was ahead in 125 seats in the 243-seat regional > assembly by noon, enough for an outright majority, unofficial tallies > compiled by television channels showed. > > “The writing is on the wall. Modi’s magic has failed and we have clearly > won the battle,” said Sanjay Singh, a spokesman for the regional parties > led by the incumbent leader of the state, Nitish Kumar > <https://twitter.com/NitishKumar> of the Janata Dal party. > [...] > > Modi turned the election into a referendum on his leadership after he > addressed at least 30 campaign rallies, a departure from tradition in state > elections, which usually centre on local issues and regional leaders. > > The poll came against a background of concern in India at incidents in > which Muslims have been targeted by Hindu extremists. There have been protests > by prominent intellectuals > <http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/05/arundhati-roy-returns-award-protest-religious-intolerance-india-bollywood-modi-government-violence> > at what they call a climate of rising intolerance. > > It is unclear to what extent such concerns are more widely shared, though > defeat in Bihar may indicate that the BJP strategy of simultaneously > stressing both development at a national level and using more sectarian > rhetoric at a local level may be becoming less effective. > > > _______________________________________________ > pen-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l > >
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