India, March 23 -- During the campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, one of Narendra Modi's slogans, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, was "Congress Mukt Bharat" (an India liberated from the Congress). At the time, many people did not fully grasp the deeper implications of this slogan. However, the political developments since the BJP assumed power at the Centre under Modi's leadership in 2014 have revealed its underlying intent. The slogan effectively signalled a vision of governance without a strong and effective opposition.

At present, the Congress party remains the only opposition party with a pan-Indian presence. The reach and influence of most other parties are limited to one or a few states. For the BJP to maintain prolon...