Indian polity

Elections in the worlds largest democracy is just 100 days away and the mood is tepid... Is it because Indians are so used to a democratic transfer of power that it has become a rite of passage or does it herald a settled belief on the part of the voters that Indian political institutions have become dysfunctional?

From here: The most intriguing feature of the forthcoming general election, due barely 100 days from now, is the apparent absence of headiness. Yes, there is lobbying for tickets and countless strategy sessions in Lutyens' Delhi, the predictable sparring between party spokespersons, the endless alignments and re-alignments, and even the odd padyatras and public meetings. However, the contrived 'mass movements' and emotional pumping that preceded some recent elections are absent. This passivity doesn't stem from the lack of issues which excite voters but despite an overload of concerns. For now, the political class is conveying the impression that a general election is something that India has learnt to take in its stride, without getting too hyper about it. Whether this appearance of a phoney war signals the healthy evolution of democratic culture or is an indication of the growing disenchantment with politics and politicians, is best left to scholars to assess. What seems clear though is that future historians may not view the coming festival of democracy as a defining landmark - a time when Indians break the existing mould of political alignments. Regardless of the verdict or even the lack of one, the campaign seems set to be lacklustre, even a bit of a bore.