Were the BJP and the Opposition better off or worse at the end of 2025 than in the beginning of the year. Let us begin with Narendra Modi’s political balance sheet. He began the year on the back of the 2024 election result which did not see the BJP get an outright majority in the Lok Sabha polls of 2024. The Opposition was actually claiming that the BJP had actually lost the election. Perceptions matter and who knows that better than the Modi-Shah duo. So they worked hard and gave the Opposition a resounding reply in the Delhi elections that happened in the beginning of 2025 followed by the Bihar win. In terms of domestic politics and electorally the Modi balance sheet holds strong. But there have been setbacks on the international front specially with the US President Donald Trump acting out. Also while India won the war against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor it took a while before it got its message across to the international community. So definitely in terms of our geo strategic communications & international diplomacy there is still some work to be done. The economy too may paint a rosy picture date wise but the situation on ground is still that of jobless growth.
As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned he walked into 2025 having raised the Congress tally back to three figures in the 2024 Lok Sabha. He took that as a win and walked with more confidence that he had in the last decade. But both Delhi and Bihar have once again raised questions about his electoral prowess. He has raised some important issues like the SIR exercise that have resounded with the rest of the opposition but as far as the INDIA bloc is concerned the Congress allies have realised they have to fend for themselves more than depend on the Congress for any electoral support. But there is some good news for the Congress, for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has emerged as a politician to be reckoned with. Her performance in Parliament has silenced her critics, both in and out of the Congress party. She can hold her own, she is also savvy enough to realise that the art of political warfare comes at various levels. You can get into a heated debate in parliament and still sit down for a cup of tea and exchange social niceties. That was the way her grandmother Indira Gandhi played the game and who can be a better role model than that. Even Prime Minister Modi is known to borrow from the late Prime Minister’s rule book once in a while.
The BJP too has had a political debut with its new party president Nitin Nabin. Although it is too early to predict his politics he is young but not a novice and could emerge as a contender in the leadership stakes. Certainly he is one to watch in 2026.
A footnote for the year gone by is Prashant Kishor who did try his hand at electoral politics but didnt do too well. Will he try again or go back to an advisory role? And what about Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Admi Party. After the Delhi drubbing in early 2025 one has not seen much of him but his political survival depends on the Punjab polls due in 2027.
On the whole 2025 has been a year of consolidation for the BJP while the Congress gets a Try Harder in its report card.
