Rajdeep Sardesai Libri

The rise of Narendra Modi has heralded one of the most exciting and contentious periods in Indian politics. From the day he was sworn in as prime minister in May 2014, Mr Modi has dominated the news cycle, attracting admirers and critics in equal measure. Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition too have slowly begun to find their voice even as the country is conflicted between a billion aspirations and rising mutinies. Who will win the big battle for 2019 as the Indian Political League enters the final stretch? What defines the Modi persona? How will the deep divisions in society be bridged? What are the challenges ahead of a ‘new’ India? And what of the lingering credibility crisis confronting the Indian media? As one of the country’s leading journalists with a ringside view to Indian politics, Rajdeep Sardesai’s incisive analysis of contemporary events decodes the key questions of our times.

On 23 May 2019, when the results of the general elections were announced, Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA coalition were voted back to power with an overwhelming majority. To some, the numbers of Modi's victory came as something of a surprise; for others, the BJP's triumph was a vindication of their belief in the government and its policies. Irrespective of one's political standpoint, one thing was beyond this was a landmark verdict, one that deserved to be reported and analysed with intelligence - and without bias. Rajdeep Sardesai's new book, 2019: How Modi Won India, does just that. What was it that gave Modi an edge over the opposition for the second time in five years? How was the BJP able to trounce its rivals in states that were once Congress bastions? What was the core issue in the a development agenda or national pride? As he relives the excitement of the many twists and turns that took place over the last five years, culminating in the 2019 election results, Rajdeep helps the reader make sense of the contours and characteristics of a rapidly changing India, its politics and its newsmakers. If the 2014 elections changed India, 2019 may well have defined what 'new India' is likely to be all about. 2019: How Modi Won India takes a look at that fascinating story, which is still developing.