The world’s largest democratic pageant — elections in India — has ended with a landslide victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As a result, Narendra Modi, the Gujarat State chief minister, should be able to form a government without forging a coalition with smaller parties, a tendency that has hobbled predecessor governments. While the prospect of a strong Indian government led by Modi appeals to those who decry the horse-trading that has sapped the energy of other Delhi governments — and slowed the country’s once-impressive growth — others worry that Modi could also prove to be a Hindu nationalist who will ratchet up tensions in South Asia.
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