Elections in India drew to a close on Friday, fulfilling predictions that Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, will be the next prime minister of the world’s largest democracy. What’s more is that Modi’s party alone will claim a parliamentary majority, the first to be held by a single party in 30 years.
Modi campaigned on the promise of job creation and economic development, with the backdrop of India’s flagging growth, corruption scandals and frustrated youth population. But measuring his success based on gross domestic product and the quantity of jobs alone would be misguided. The real challenge for Modi – who critics call sectarian and divisive – lies in ensuring inclusive growth that reduces inequality and generates high-quality jobs for all, including minorities and marginalized populations.
The above excerpt was originally published in U.S. News & World Report.
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