Contesting Democratic Deficit: An Inside Story of the 2024 Elections

By 2024, the ten-year tenure of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government had redefined power dynamics with centralized control and divisive rhetoric. Many felt democracy was slipping away. The Congress Party embarked on a tireless fight to restore hope in India’s democracy amidst a decade of eroding trust in democratic institutions. In Contesting Democratic Deficit: An Inside Story of the 2024 Elections, Salman Khurshid, with Mritunjay Singh Yadav, casts aside the usual partisan talking points and examines the narrative of these volatile times. The authors begin by reflecting on a nation gripped by disillusionment—where economic disparities, social polarization, and institutional subversion cast a long shadow over its democratic fabric. Faced with this crisis, the Congress launched an unprecedented revival effort. From the emotionally charged Bharat Jodo Yatra that connected leaders with the people, to the historic formation of the INDIA alliance uniting diverse political forces, Khurshid and Yadav recount how Opposition parties rallied to defend the idea of an inclusive, pluralistic India. This pivotal election became a referendum on democracy itself, with society viewing it as an opportunity to reclaim constitutional values and reject authoritarianism. …