Among South Asian countries, there is some anxiety about a possible Bharatiya Janata Party victory in the upcoming Indian elections. Surprisingly, BJP pragmatists might live and let live.
with reports from Colombo, Dhaka, Lahore and New Delhi
At the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi, the mood is upbeat. Though it is early, many dhoti-clad hopefuls with the ubiquitous tilak on the forehead are hanging around, in search of a party ticket to contest the general election tentatively scheduled for April.
Sushma Swaraj, the party spokesperson, says the BJP is confident of obtaining a comfortable Lok Sabha majority. While political pundits may not all share this optimism, most predict that the BJP will emerge as an important player in the post-election scenario. The implications of a BJP victory, both for minority groups within India as well as the rest of South Asia, are indeed consequential.