Narendra Modi is the world’s most popular leader
The prime minister’s odious Muslim-bashing is not the main reason
Ganesha Kanojia does not consider himself a Bharatiya Janata Party supporter. The 58-year-old auto-rickshaw driver has mostly voted for the Congress party, as members of his low-caste Dalit group tend to. In local elections in Delhi, where he lives, he still disdains the BJP, because he dislikes its Hindu supremacist ideology. But in general elections, including one due next year, Mr Kanojia is a safe BJP vote. “Because of Modi-ji,” he explains.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Why is Modi so popular?”
From the June 17th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
Can Donald Trump maintain Joe Biden’s network of Asian alliances?
Discipline and creativity will help, but so will China’s actions
What North Korea gains by sending troops to fight for Russia
Resources, technology, experience and a blood-soaked IOU
Is Arkadag the world’s greatest football team?
What could possibly explain the success of a club founded by Turkmenistan’s dictator
After the president’s arrest, what next for South Korea?
Some 3,000 police breached his compound. The country is dangerously divided
India’s Faustian pact with Russia is strengthening
The gamble behind $17bn of fresh deals with the Kremlin on oil and arms
AUKUS enters its fifth year. How is the pact faring?
It has weathered two big political changes. What about Donald Trump’s return?