Can the Congress build on the BJP's fascination with its manifesto?

The Opposition, especially the Congress, will have to go much beyond press conferences and urban election meetings by taking these issues to voters in the rural hinterland

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) campaign suggests that, for once, it has no central narrative of its own. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spent more airtime taking down the Congress’ manifesto than propagating his party’s own programme.

This could be the result of mistaken calculations.

The Ram Temple, which was meant to swing this election for BJP, has not clicked with the voters – once again proving the adage about the electorate’s short memory. The bravado embodied in the slogan, “Ab ki baar, 400-paar (this time around, more than 400 seats),” has boomeranged with people linking it to