The four days of intense near-war, which brought Pakistan to its knees and forced it to seek a ceasefire, have given the Narendra Modi government a significant boost in strength and stability. The repercussions of this could echo far and wide in Indian politics.

The immediate question on everyone’s mind is what happens next, and how will Operation Sindoor shape domestic politics? Given India’s obsession with politics and the constant churn of election calculations, it is only natural to wonder whether this will sway the electorate at large.

The next round of elections begins with the Bihar Legislative Assembly polls in October-November this year, followed by Assam and West Bengal in March-April, 2026. Puducherry goes to the polls in April, Tamil Nadu in April-May, and Kerala in May next year.

Public memory, of course, is short. Except for Bihar, where voting is just five months away, the other elections are nearly a year from now. But politicians, especially the BJP, have mastered the art of keeping the narrative alive for long stretches. The BJP reaped the rewards of the Kargil War in the 1999 elections.

That conflict came at a crucial time, just after the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had lost a trust vote in Parliament and was functioning as a caretaker government until fresh elections were held. Though the armed forces........

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