Political suspense finally ends

The great suspense over the outcome of the mega democratic electoral exercise in India has finally come to an end. To the astonishment of many, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has trounced the ruling Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and Narendra Modi has thundered to victory.
The exit polls had projected victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP. However, now with numbers favoring the BJP, it does not need support from its NDA allies. Contrary to the expectations of political pundits, India is all set to be ruled by a single-party government after over two decades.
Speculations are rife that Modi’s caste may at the last minute change the political scene and prevent him from taking over as the 14th prime minister of the world’s largest democracy. If this does not happen then India for the first time in its modern history will see a prime minister from Other Backward Classes (OBC).
It was the first time that BJP banked exclusively on its electoral campaign led by Modi. It was the first time that Modi gave an impression of having taken a complete U-turn from what used to be his anti-Muslim, communal agenda. During his campaign, Modi even lashed out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying that Muslims in Gujarat are “better off” than they are in Bengal.
Key Indian politicians and parties have always banked on Indian media to add gusto to their campaigns. They did the same this time around. This election has proved to be a litmus test for the Indian media, which can play a crucial role in helping politicians achieve their goal i.e. victory. Keeping the tradition alive, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi led the party’s electoral campaign.
Arvind Kejriwal of the Aaam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been portrayed as a key player in the race alongside Rahul and Modi. However, he and his party failed to make waves in elections.
For the first time, Indian voters were given the right not to choose any candidate with the introduction of “None of the Above” (NOTA) option on the ballot papers. It is yet to be seen whether this option has strengthened democracy.
These elections could be termed as a battle between secularism and communalism. Now it is to be seen whether Modi retains his secular mask that he had effectively used during electioneering.
Muslim votes have always been accorded great importance in electoral battles. It is for the first time that just ahead of the results “news” started spreading about Muslims being scared of Modi heading the next government. Some reports also claimed that Muslims might turn to “militancy.” Undeniably, all political reports are not always factually correct. During this electoral battle, Indian media can be commended for achieving great heights in keeping people informed about politicians and parties in the race. At the same time, sections of media have faced strong criticism for playing a “political” role in according undue importance to distorted “reports.”

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