The political ascendancy of the right is facing growing resistance across the world, both on the streets and at the ballot box. The right-wing cycle may be running its course, as developments elsewhere, particularly in the United States, appear to suggest. The midterm elections offer an important indication of the electoral vulnerabilities of right-wing dominance. Whether this signals a similar turning point in India is a more complex question, given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s organisational reach and the social and political consolidation underpinning its dominance. Yet, the growing mass mobilisation suggests that India’s political terrain, too, is becoming increasingly contested.

INDIA – with Congress at its centre – pulls off biggest political meeting in decades

Against this backdrop, the November 1 Chalo Dilli rally at Ramlila Maidan marks a significant escalation in the challenge to the BJP-led National Development Alliance (NDA) government. Over the past few months, disparate streams of protest have increasingly converged around electoral malpractice, manipulation of voter rolls and the erosion of democratic institutions. The Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc brought these protests together in one of the largest political mobilisations Delhi has witnessed in decades. Thousands of people marched along Minto Road to Ramlila Maidan, united by the demand to restore public confidence in India’s electoral process.

More significant than the size of the crowd, however, is what it reveals about the changing political mood. The conduct of elections and the institutional safeguards underpinning them have become matters of wider public concern, extending well beyond party politics. The rally sent a strong message of disapproval to the ruling party and the Election Commission of India (ECI), whose actions have raised serious questions about its role in safeguarding electoral democracy. It also underscored the Congress’s centrality to the campaign and Rahul Gandhi’s emergence as its principal political voice. His leadership has given the INDIA bloc greater political visibility and a more clearly defined focus. The two major events over the past three weeks – the October 12 march from Barakhamba Road to the Supreme Court and the rally at Ramlila Maidan – demonstrated the party’s........

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