Farm laws: PM Modi's U-Turn gives divided opponents another chance to unite

However, one major problem for the disparate opposition parties is figuring out what they stand for apart from being against Modi, says an expert on Indian politics

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move to repeal farm reform laws in the face of persistent protests — his biggest policy U-turn since taking office — handed his opponents momentum ahead of crucial state elections. The question is whether they can finally take advantage.

So far, the splintered opposition hasn’t demonstrated an ability to capitalize on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s missteps. Those divisions were apparent last month, when a convoy allegedly carrying the son of a top official in Modi’s cabinet drove into a crowd of protesting farmers in India’s most-populous state of Uttar Pradesh, killing eight people in