High-fives for Mr Modi

The question is what Mr Modi has learnt from his first term, and whether that will make him more reformist in the second

Thirty years ago, the transition from a Congress-centric political system began as Hindu qua Hindu mobilisation got under way. The quarter-century that followed was an interregnum that saw the birth of new caste-based and regional parties, and a succession of coalition governments. Now the transition is complete, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) virtually embedded in the northern heartland and in the western states, and spreading its reach east and south to become a truly national party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah have formed an impressive team, and should congratulate themselves on a comprehensive victory that