India’s Modi Braces for Tough Local Elections Amid Virus Surge
- Voting in key Uttar Pradesh state to begin in February
- A weak showing by BJP in state polls may further delay reforms
Narendra Modi
Photographer: T. Narayan/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Indian voters will head to the polls in several states in February and March, posing a key test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose government is grappling with high unemployment and soaring food costs as a third Covid-19 wave emerges.
Local polls in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will be a crucial indicator of sentiment ahead of the 2024 general elections. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party controls four out of the five states and a weaker showing this time could see the prime minister make concessions to different voter groups to secure a third consecutive term in the federal elections.