India’s Modi seen unstoppable after surprise state polls sweep

India’s opposition faces a “herculean task” in next year’s general elections against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
which wrested control of key states in a surprisingly strong showing in local polls.
The defeat of Congress in all three heartland states, which was announced on Sunday, dashed any notion that the opposition could pose a serious challenge through a newly formed 28-party alliance led by the party that has ruled India for 54 years since independence from Britain, analysts and politicians said.
It also showcased the organisational strength of the BJP and the appeal of Modi’s presidential-style campaigning, even though he was not on the ticket, just five months before national elections in which he will seek a third term in office.