India’s opposition, written off as too weak, makes a stunning comeback to slow Modi's juggernaut

India’s bruised and battered opposition was largely written off in the lead-up to its national election as too weak to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist governing party. It has now scored a stunning comeback, slowing down the Modi juggernaut and pushing his Bharatiya Janata Party well below the majority mark. This is unchartered territory for the populist prime minister, who now needs the help of his allies to stay in power. The election also marked a revival for the main opposition Congress party and its allies, who defied earlier predictions of decline and made deep inroads into governing party strongholds, denying Modi the supermajority he had hoped for.