Last year, on 4 June, when the BJP ended up with 240 Lok Sabha seats — below the majority mark — many of its supporters were dismayed that a coalition government would derail Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s civilisational agenda. They wondered whether the BJP could now make stunningly bold moves such as abrogating Article 370 from Kashmir, or making way for the Ram Mandir to be built in Ayodhya, or outlawing instant triple talaq.

The Opposition was exultant even in defeat. It thought his government had been defanged. Congress scion Rahul Gandhi started talking and behaving as if the Congress, with just 99 seats, had won the election.

But within months, the BJP sprang a spectacular victory in Haryana against all predictions. Then it swept Maharashtra, a whisker away from........

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