Victory of three radicals—one in Kashmir and two in Punjab—is welcome in that they’ve sworn allegiance to Constitution. Separatists joining the democratic process is in line with India’s experience of bringing radicals into the national tent. Their large mandates, however, highlight deep unrest in strategic regions. This needs redressal.
2024 a warning for single-state, ideology-free parties. Bland populism no guarantee for relevance
The rout of Naveen Patnaik, Jagan Mohan Reddy and KCR is a warning of extinction to single-state, single-leader, ideology-free parties. Bland, welfarist populism is no guarantee for durable relevance. Politics needs an emotional connect for voters. Either such parties discover this fast or join one of the two national alliances.
Deep unrest. Needs redressal. While reading about separatist sentiment among some sections of the diaspora, used to feel relieved to learn that the issue has no resonance on the ground, where it really matters.. perhaps that was too sanguine an assessment. The long term effects of growing majoritarianism should be carefully judged.