44-day polls: 10 hot takes

2024 was a one-candidate election. Narendra Modi was the only candidate for whom the BJP sought votes, and he was the only opponent most of its rivals wanted defeated

Our longest general election campaign, except for 1951-52, has just ended as temperatures teased the 50-degree mark. It’s time to list our 10 takeaways.
 

* The first is the number of media interviews the Prime Minister (PM) gave across publications. Some followers claim it to be in the three figures. For an establishment so wary — even contemptuous — of the media, it’s a lot. Important takeaway: No headlines emerged out of these. A possible exception is the interview with Rubika Liyaquat of News18, in which he said that if he indulged in “Hindu-Muslim” rhetoric, he’d be unworthy of public