Ahead of key elections, India’s opposition struggles to play catch-up amid low visibility, poor messaging

The contrasting temple visits starkly underscores the chasm between Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress as the country heads into elections this year, marking the opposition’s uphill task ahead to win voters’ attention.

“The ceremony was planned so that Modi was presented as the prime minister and the head priest, indeed Ram himself as he promised a Ramrajya [an ideal ruler according to Hindu tenets]. The camera followed him everywhere, ensuring he remained the central figure,” said Smita Gupta, an independent political commentator.

Throughout the Ayodhya ceremony, TV channels were replete with commentaries about Modi’s fasting ritual of sleeping on the floor and staple diet of coconut water, rituals meant to cleanse the body before consecrating an idol of Hindu god Ram.

Ram, the hero of an ancient epic, is believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism.

“Modi’s objective was clearly to present himself as a 21st century Ram, who will create a Ramrajya; he will be both god and prime minister. He doesn’t simply want to be respected; he wants to be worshipped,” Gupta said.

Gandhi’s temple entry incident, however, was possibly connected to denying him national spotlight.

“The only reason I could think of is that someone in the establishment wanted to avoid the possibility of some enterprising TV staffer presenting Modi and Gandhi simultaneously on a split screen, both at temples,” she said.

Once hailed as India’s grand old party, Congress had won an outright majority in seven national elections out of 17 since India became independent in 1947, and thrice led a ruling coalition government.

But it has struggled to command voters’ attention over the last decade since Modi propelled the