India’s Congress Party Is Facing a Fight for Survival
The main challenge to Narendra Modi in India’s election comes from the Indian National Congress and the alliance it leads. But the party is struggling to keep afloat as a national force as it pays the price for embracing neoliberal economic policies.
Indian National Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi waves to supporters during an election campaign public meeting on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India, on May 9, 2024, ahead of the fourth phase of voting of the Indian national elections. (Noah Seelam / AFP via Getty Images)
As the voting for India’s Lok Sabha elections continues, most opinion polls and analysts predict a win for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP claims that it will win more than 400 out of the 543 seats, up from 352 in 2019.
However, the true picture might be more complicated. The CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey on the eve of the elections revealed that “livelihood-related issues are emerging as major concerns in this election,” with “dissatisfaction over unemployment and inflation among sections of the society” indicating that “a tough fight is on the cards.”
To confront the ruling BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA), India’s opposition parties, including the Left, the Indian National Congress (INC), and regional parties, formed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
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