Modi 1.0 was about political consolidation; will Modi 2.0 focus on economy?

Change will have to begin with the PM, who will have to show active interest in macro-economic issues, and address himself to understanding the key policy levers available to him, writes T N Ninan

The buzz in presumably well-informed circles in the capital has been that Narendra Modi’s second term in office will be different from the first. Having used the last five years to consolidate his and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s political power, it is said that Mr Modi will now focus on the economy, and further that he is willing to front-load action in a way that he was not willing to do five years ago. Certainly, the economy needs fresh momentum, with quarterly economic growth dropping below 6 per cent, and hitting a five-year low. Growth for the full year is