Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed eleven years in office, largely unchallenged. This achievement isn’t the result of happenstance, but of a meticulously planned political project founded on cultural identity (Hindutva), national pride (vigorous nationalism), and substantial state-led support for the poor (food and welfare subsidies).

These three pillars have formed a potent combination, enabling the Bharatiya Janata Party to broaden its social base and cultivate a powerful personal brand – the Modi Brand – that resonates with the masses. While development remained a priority under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA-I) government, NDA-II under Narendra Modi chose to showcase development through the lens of Hindutva, nationalism, and welfare, yielding significant political gains for the ruling coalition.

Traditionally, right-wing parties focused on business-friendly policies and cultural conservatism, while left-wing parties prioritised welfare. Under Modi, the BJP has combined right-wing cultural nationalism with left-of-centre economic populism.

This political model is unprecedented in India’s political history. It emerged as a course correction........

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