BJP's ideological hegemony is not represented by its 37% voteshare, it is represented by the fact that it's political opponents essentially accede to its basic ideological precepts- in this case that India is fundamentally a 'Hindu nation', symbolized by the Ram Temple. (1/n) https://twitter.com/timesofindia/status/1289821563462676482

Advani, at the height of the RJM agiation, clearly stated- "The temple-mosque dispute is not about history. It is about national identity." There was a time when Congress was the party that defined this national identity, which also to be sure had a majoritarian bent. But there

is a qualitative difference between Rajiv Gandhi opening the locks of the Babri masjid & allowing shilanyas,and the Congress now trying to lay claim over the Ram Temple. Then, it was the dominant ideological party trying to co-opt RW discourse & defang the RW. Much like how Nehru

and Indira Gandhi co-opted the discourse, and policies, of the Left both to subdue the challenge of the socialist parties (then the most significant political opposition) and to fight its internal enemies in the party. BJP was then a fringe party (with 4 LS seats). It is clearly

now the ideological hegemon. The Congress is now the marginal party trying to garner its legitimacy by co-opting the discourse of majoritarian nationalism.

The critical thing about the Ram Temple is that it's less about Ram than about Babur. The chants against 'Babur ki Aulaad'

during the RJM agitation were clearly meant to convey the continuity between the 'evil barbarian anti-Hindu' Babur and the present Muslim community. The agiation was meant to construct a militant Hindu (& national) identity based on the normativity of Hindu warrior king Ram, and

a Muslim identity based on the 'evil barbaric King Babur. That, basically, is basically the basis of the new national identity, and the Congress, and most regional parties have acceded to that. The only ones ideologically contesting this new national identity- consecrated by the

Ram Temple Bhumi pujan- are Owaisi & a few Left leaders.

The victories of the BJP in 2014 & 2019 wasn't about election victories, they were ideological trumiphs that have transformed the nation. This generation shift can only be reversed in the timeframe of a generation. -End