Will the slump in rural consumption set the tone for 2019 poll rhetoric?

While FMCG products are doing well, auto sales receded in recent quarters, and the verdict on tractor sales was mixed

The Lok Sabha elections are nearing, and the political rhetoric is most likely to have high decibel rural tones, given the fact that India is still a predominantly village economy. In fact, the narrative will date has largely been centred around rural development: roads to connect all villages, power and toilets to all rural homes, health insurance cover to all poor and under-privileged in villages.

However, the rural sector's contribution to India's GDP nearly equals that of the urban set-up. Apart from key components such as agriculture, construction and investments in ancillary industries, another major driver of the economy is