The Power Bloc

The Indian political landscape in 2019 began with a promise. In the last month of the previous year, the country's main opposition party, the Congress, wrested control of three heartland states-Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh-from the BJP. Suddenly, the battle for the Lok Sabha looked wide open with a loose swathe of opp­osition parties sniffing a chance to dethrone the Narendra Modi-led BJP with some unimaginable alliances. Such dreams bit the dust in May, reaffirming that PM Modi remains the most powerful person in the country, backed by incredible public goodwill that no other politician has enjoyed in the post-Indira Gandhi era. When that popularity combines with the election management skills of his deputy Amit Shah and the deep-rooted organisational network of the RSS, the result is an almost-invincible political machinery entrenched at the Centre and in 13 states. This marauding machinery has not only decimated India's Grand Old Party-twice in five years-but has shaken the bases of several personality- or family-controlled regional parties. The SP, BSP, TMC, for instance. What's heartening is that legacy is