Is Modi’s policy agenda at risk in new Parliament? Here's what might now happen to some of his key plans
Modi’s vast domestic agenda is in jeopardy after his party failed to win an outright majority in parliament for the first time in a decade, forcing it to work with a coalition of parties and grapple with an expanded opposition bench.
Over the past decade that Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has ruled with absolute majorities, its advocated for — and pushed through — laws that critics say have furthered its majoritarian goals. Some of the outstanding policies on that agenda may now need to be reviewed or jettisoned after the electoral setback.
Signs of acrimony between the BJP-led government and the opposition were visible Monday at the start of the first parliamentary session since election results earlier this month. A united opposition — which won about 230 of the 543 seats in the lower house, the Lok Sabha — are opposing the BJP’s selection of a temporary speaker of parliament and are protesting against a brewing scandal over college entrance exams.
“Together we will fulfill that responsibility and we will further strengthen the trust of the people,” Modi said. “We want to go ahead and speed up decisions by taking everyone together, by maintaining the sanctity of the constitution.”
The opposition alliance, led by the Indian National Congress, had accused Modi and the BJP of undermining the constitution. Opposition lawmakers led by the Congress party’s Rahul Gandhi held up copies of the constitution as they took their oath of office Monday.
“Our message is going across, no power can touch the constitution of
