NEW DELHI — Is India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, in trouble? With his white beard and booming speeches (and supposedly 56-inch chest), Mr. Modi swept into power four years ago by promoting a populist brand of politics that mixed brawny Hindu nationalist views with lofty economic promises. But on Tuesday, his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, got walloped according to elections results just released from races held across five states. The elections were held over the past several weeks, but results were not announced until Tuesday. Indian pundits described the races, held in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, as the “semifinals” of Indian politics.

Source: New York Times December 11, 2018 14:48 UTC