For nearly two decades, Indian politics has steadily moved towards a welfare consensus. From cash transfers and subsidised food to free electricity and women-focused income schemes, political parties across ideological lines have embraced direct state support as the safest route to electoral security. What was once considered a distinctive political strategy has now become routine governance. Yet recent state elections suggest an important political transition is under way: welfare is no longer sufficient to guarantee public trust or electoral victory.

This does not mean welfare politics has collapsed. On the contrary, welfare remains deeply embedded in India’s political economy. Governments cannot easily withdraw benefits without risking public backlash, especially in a country where economic insecurity remains widespread. But voters increasingly appear to distinguish between short-term assistance and long-term progress. They may accept welfare as necessary support, while simultaneously demanding jobs, mobility, infrastructure, and economic opportunity. That distinction matters. India’s welfare expansion coincided with a period of uneven employment growth. While headline economic numbers improved, large sections of the population continued to struggle with stagnant........

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