How the BJP Wins :

by Prashant Jha

[luddite]

A book very much written in the here and now. Excellent reportage-view of the 2014 LS elections and then the UP assembly polls. Fast-paced narration with a good set of insider anecdotes. It doesn't talk about election funding and the tacit corporate support the BJP enjoys, which was something I hoped the book would touch upon.

The book chooses to leave more complex analysis of history and consequences to the reader - whether that's a function of the app-based publisher or a rigid adherence to only the 'How' in the title is an unanswered question. The 'Why' of BJP's electoral victories is unanswered, and there can be a lot written to elaborate upon the majoritarian insecurities that fuel its victories.

Read this to know the organizational structure and election apparatus of the BJP. And the role of the Sangh. Read this to understand the election-facing front of their worldview. Supplement it with readings on the assertion of caste identities in Indian elections, readings on ethno-nationalist movements, and literature on disinformation campaigns.