P Chidambaram writes: Not Modi 3.0 but Modi 2.1

Voters also concluded that although the main opposition party, the Congress, had made determined efforts to capture power, it may not yet be ready. He had to reconnect with his roots in 9 states which represent 170 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The BJP

Mr. Narendra Modi was given a conditional mandate to form the government but, as usual, he allowed hubris to cloud his judgment. After the initial shock, Mr. Modi realized that there was no opponent in his party and no other party had sufficient numbers to stake his claim. He also concluded, rightly, that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu (TDP) and Mr. Nitish Kumar (JDU) were transactional leaders and more interested in protecting their hard-earned territory in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, respectively, than 'to play the role of kingmaker in Delhi. It turned out that Mr. Modi could easily satisfy them with private assurances of funds, projects and some kind of special status for their states.

Where Mr. Modi erred was in repeating his core team, which I discuss below.

The Congress

Arithmetic looks in the face. The Congress won 79 of its 99 seats in just nine states. In nine other states that have 170 seats, Congress won only four (zero in five states and one in four states). It will be useful to analyze what Congress did right in the first nine states and what it did wrong in the last nine states. Some preparatory work was done by the party during its Udaipur and Raipur conclaves, but the preparations do not appear to have been carried to the desired conclusion. The bright sparks are Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, which will hold National Assembly elections in a few months. Given the seats won in the 2024 parliamentary elections, the Congress and its allies have gained a head start in all three states and have an equal chance of taking power in the regional elections. If the states go beyond these states, the BJP will definitely put up a tough fight. The INDIA bloc must fight to win.

The government

When Mr. Modi chose continuity over change, he shot himself in the foot. Several conclusions can be drawn from the composition of Mr. Modi's third government and the distribution of portfolios. First, Mr Modi ignored the electorate's warning to change the course and style of his government. Second, he stubbornly maintained that there was nothing wrong with his administration's fundamental policies, particularly policies concerning the economy, domestic security, and foreign policy. Third, he implicitly acknowledged that there was a serious talent gap in his ranks. Fourth, he made it clear that there was only room in his cabinet for those who accepted that his third government would be led by the Prime Minister's Office. Finally, he is convinced that he and Mr. Amit Shah have the means to manage the allies without giving them a respectable role in the government.

None of the ministers have yet spoken on their priorities or policies. Ms Nirmala Sitharaman could continue to claim that the Indian economy is growing at an accelerated pace, 240 million people have been lifted out of poverty, inflation is low, jobs are being created and India will become a 5 trillion dollars. an undetermined date. Mr. Amit Shah can say that terrorism has been defeated, Manipur is governed according to the Constitution, the CAA and UCC are on the right track and the three laws replacing the IPC, CrPC and the Evidence Act are the best things that have ever been passed. arrived in India from Thomas Babington Macaulay. Mr. Jaishankar can bask in the glory of photo ops in world capitals while China quietly fortifies its self-proclaimed border with India and forges new economic and military ties with the Maldives, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Mr. Rajnath Singh may believe that the job of a Defense Minister is to visit the troops from time to time and leave minor matters to the NSA and CDS. Mr. Piyush Goyal could continue to promote the idea that India's industry and foreign trade are thriving while the trade deficit is expected to remain above $200 billion per year (of which China alone accounts for 85 billions of dollars). With the appointment of MPK Mishra as Principal Secretary and Mr. Ajit Doval as NSA, the identity of the Modi government has been affirmed, signed and sealed.

This is definitely not Modi 3.0. This is Modi 2.1.

People wanted a positive change in their lives. The people voted for jobs, price stability, and peace and security. If the same ministers occupy the same positions and propagate the same policies, it will be a cruel mockery of the people's verdict. From the first stage of government formation, Mr. Modi failed and failed the country. People are looking forward to the second and third stages of the president's speech and budget.