Cracks Appear in the Modi Coalition, and It’s Not Just Karnataka https://thewire.in/politics/narendra-modi-coalition-cracks-bjp The first significant constituency in the Modi coalition can, for want of a better word, be identified as “modernist” in its predisposition. This is essentially the 1991 Manmohan Singh constituency but has now expanded itself to include a technocratic impulse.- Arvind Panagariya Surjit Bhalla, Rajeev Chandrasekhar and ‘Metro Man’ E. Sreedharan . This constituency does not reject the idea of democracy. .prefers a ‘strong’ leader like Modi
Second: Corporate captains, cronies and crooks constitute the second important element in the Modi coalition. From the very respectable Tatas to the still-to-be-respected Adanis. As long as his government’s coercive powers are being used to degrade the trade unions and other troublesome sectors and as long as the public sector banks are placed at the disposal of corporate trickery,
Third: The Hindu constituency, the third element in the Modi coalition, is not a monolithic group. There are traditionalist, conservatives who are excited by the idea of a Hindu ‘renaissance’ but are uncomfortable with the Hindu-Muslim zero-sum game mindset; then there is the ‘communal’..and then there is the lumpen Hindutva crowd..senas, dals..
A significant subset of this constituency, of course, is the RSS establishment - the RSS’s middle rung has been introduced to the taste of easy prosperity, and these softened swayamsevaks are the prime minister’s secret allies against Mohan Bhagwat and other top Sangh leaders,..
Fourth: The Deshbhakti constituency which accepts all anti-democratic measures and practices put in place by the ‘security’ establishment
Fifth: There is also a caste constituency. Under Modi, caste, sub-caste and sub-sub-caste identities, allegiances and animosities have been worked most comprehensively by the much-serenaded Chanakyas.
Sixth: there is the anti-Congress, anti-Gandhi family constituency.
In the coming days, the Modi coalition will see a silent struggle for dominance, with the Amit Shah-Yogi Adityanath faction demanding a more aggressive Hindu agenda, even if it means violence and disorder.