In new coalition era, BJP faces same problems Congress did a decade ago. What lessons will it learn?

With the Bharatiya Janata Party failing to secure a majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, India has entered a new era of coalition politics. As the BJP settles down to governing as head of the National Democratic Alliance, the challenges the party will face mirror the ones faced by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance governments two decades ago.

Though the Congress was similarly transformed from a dominant party into a dependent one, it took a long time to reconcile to its altered status. It went on to pay a significant price for continuing to act like a big brother even though it was no longer one.

Governments that stand on borrowed pillars can survive only through negotiation, accommodation and compromise. This is a messy, slow process. As the Congress set about doing this, it was dubbed “weak” and “indecisive” by the BJP leaders. As the BJP heads a coalition government, will the party do things any differently?

A disconnect

One of the key problems the Congress faced during its era of dominance was its failure to value grassroots structures. The party’s high command often compromised its regional leaders and promoted yes-men. This led to a disconnect between the senior ranks and the base. All this was fine...

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