Politics has become deeply personal in India, and this was demonstrated yet again, in the most unexpected way, by the 2024 election results.

I live in Mumbai, where people avoid discussing politics on a daily basis. The rhythm of Mumbai's life is such that its people appear aloof, busy with matters more important to their lives, whether they are tempo drivers or business tycoons. However, like so many other Indians, they are not aloof; they observe silently but speak loudly, and with utmost clarity, when they vote. In that sense, Mumbai represents India with all its diversities - during elections and beyond.

In the latest edition of elections, one noticed there was less chatter across the country, leading us to believe that people were either indifferent or quiet, perhaps maintaining a studied silence to confuse pundits. Silence meant different things for different sets of people in the run-up to the elections.

What the results illustrate is that most individuals are making independent decisions when it comes to voting, but they are voting in the collective interest, not necessarily in pursuit of their own personal interest. It is all seamless. The people have conveyed that larger concerns of the collective must be........

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