BJP election campaign in India revolves around cult of Modi
With a six-kilometre parade under a shower of flower petals, a religious ceremony in a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and a dip in the Ganges, Narendra Modi is pulling out all the stops to demonstrate that he is not only the most popular candidate, but also the most devout of Hindus.
On Monday, May 13, India's prime minister concluded the fourth phase of voting in the country's six-phase parliamentary elections in the holy city of Varanasi, his constituency. The electoral marathon is due to end on June 1, with results expected on June 4.
The 73-year-old, who is hoping to win a third consecutive term in office, has personalized these elections to the extreme. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has all but disappeared from the campaign landscape. All that remains is a single figure, who monopolizes podiums and media attention. He holds rallies in contested constituencies every evening. Two symbolic figures of the far right, Interior Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a fundamentalist monk, barely appear in the background. Even the BJP's manifesto bears his name: "Modi's guarantees."
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/05/18/bjp-election-campaign-in-india-revolves-around-cult-of-modi_6671805_4.html
