Wrap-up: There’s no stopping Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tightened his grip on power last week with the BJP bagging the key battleground Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, finishing a close second in Goa and Manipur and ending up third in Punjab. However, the results are likely to strengthen Mr Modi’s hand in the Rajya Sabha where his lack of a majority has stalled his reform agenda. The alliance between the ruling regional Samajwadi Party and beleaguered Congress in Uttar Pradesh was routed coming a distant second. The BJP had also not put up any Muslim candidate. Since winning the first overall majority in three decades in the 2014 general election, Mr Modi’s dominance has been largely unchallenged and he already looks well-placed for re-election in 2019.

Even the November’s shock ban on high denomination bank notes appears to have done little damage to his standing. “This is the victory of the corruption-free rule and pro-poor policies under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” BJP president Amit Shah tweeted.The multi-phase elections, which began in  February, ended last Wednesday after which exit polls predicted the BJP to come out on top in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa.

The only crumb of comfort for that Congress — which has led India for most of the post-Independence period — was in Punjab.