SPOTLIGHT, NOV SHARED

In his third term as prime minister, Narendra Modi would have to reorient his image to that of a consensus builder

- PRATUL SHARMA

Diversity will be the hallmark of the new Parliament building. The sanitised environs of Sansad Bhawan are set to resonate with different languages, louder slogans, sharper opinions, and hopefully meaningful debates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is returning to his post for a third term, and he does so with a new reality and visibly less firepower. He will face an energised opposition led by Rahul Gandhi, and he would have to rely on allies like the Chandrababu Naiduled Telugu Desam Party and the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), who have shaken the BJP-led alliance in the past.

That the BJP fell short of a majority by 32 seats, and of its own target of 370 by 130 seats, means that it would have to change its approach to governance. Early signs are already showing.

At his victory speech on June 4, the poster behind Modi carried a ‘Thank You’ message for the people written in all the official languages, and not just in Hindi as was the practice earlier. This was not a ‘Modi sarkar’, but an NDA one.

This, significantly, ushers in a return to the coalition era of the 1990s, when prime ministers had to rely on allies to govern and use a language of consensus to maintain harmony in Parliament and on the streets. The NDA was formed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee on May 15, 1998, with support from parties and leaders known for their anti-Congress stance. A quarter of a century later, Modi would potentially have to adopt a Vajpayee-like approach to keep his allies close. His party, too, will need to temper its message as it grows in states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Kerala.

“We will work with all state governments, including those led by any party,” said Modi. “We will work hard for a Viksit Bharat. This is not the time to stop, but to move forward. The Constitution is our guiding document. We will celebrate the 75 years of the Constitution in a big way this year.”