Narendra Modi, A Global Exception Amid Anti-Incumbency Wave, Says Fareed Zakaria

In an era where voters worldwide are turning against parties in power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has bucked the trend to secure a historic third term, according to veteran journalist and geopolitical expert Fareed Zakaria. In an exclusive interview with India Today News Director Rahul Kanwal, Zakaria delved into why India did not align with the global wave of anti-incumbent sentiment, which saw voters in the US, UK, and other democracies rejecting their ruling parties. "Pretty much every incumbent party throughout the world suffered significant setbacks or was voted out of office. Modi is probably the most important exception," Zakaria said. Unlike the two-party system that dominates American politics, India’s multi-party democracy played a crucial role in PM Modi’s victory in the Lok Sabha election, Zakaria suggested. "The first thing, fundamentally, is India does not have a two-party system. And if there had been a two-party system where every BJP person was up against one non-BJP MP, it is likely that the BJP would have lost power. Because what happened in India is the anti-incumbency vote often got divided between two or three major parties," he explained. Another key reason, Zakaria noted, is PM Modi's enduring popularity and his perception as an outsider. "Modi has bucked the trend because I think he is personally very popular. Even though there's a feeling of anti-incumbency, things have been too chaotic, inflation was high, Covid was not handled well, he has somehow managed to maintain the sense of trust and connection with the Indian people. And it's because, at the end of the day, Modi is still seen by Indians as something of an outsider. He's seen as somebody who came from outside the world of political elites," he said. Watch Rahul Kanwal, Executive Director of Business Today in an insightful conversation with Fareed Zakaria, Analyst & Columnist