The political times are changing:

"Rascals, rogues, and freebooters will wield power; all Indian leaders will be of low grade and men of straw." Their tongues will be lovely, and their hearts will be funny. They will compete for power amongst themselves. India will be engulfed in political wrangling."

Perhaps the greatest statesmen of his time said so because he despised the colony that was squirming its way out of the British Empire's grip. Nonetheless, he had a deep understanding of Indian politics. After all, for about 200 years, his country ruled India. There have been many ups and downs in the country's 75 years of independence. The good, the terrible, and the ugly of Indian politics have all been witnessed. To say the least, the next 25 years to 100 years will be difficult.

India's political landscape has transformed dramatically in the previous ten years. Regardless of ideology, all political parties followed the rules established during the independence movement over the past 65 years. It didn't matter if they were on the left, right, or in the middle. They adhered to the constitution, appreciated the independence struggle, did not dispute Gandhi's methods, and did not upset society's fundamental nature. Religious or regional quirks, as well as cultural fallacies, were ignored. Despite its flaws, the system functioned.

However, the previous ten years have been markedly different. Nothing is sacred any longer. Everything is being scrutinized, and there is a tenacious determination to rewrite, reinstall, and rebuild everything. Starting from the ground up. Everything from monuments to institutions, history to politics, textbooks to basic principles is up for revision.

A paradigm shift in people's view has been the most noticeable and noticeable alteration. Indian politics has shifted from a focus on the family to a focus on the individual. The BJP discovered an articulate and bankable leader in Narendra Modi, and the AAP was constructed around him. The Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the RJD, the DMK, the Shiv Sena, and many other parties are still mired in their past, unable to accept the new politics.

The emergence of two new political groups marks a watershed moment. The first is the Narendra Modi-led BJP, which is the BJP's new form, and the second is Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party. AAP began its journey in 2012, but the BJP as we know it now was revived after Modi assumed control of the party in 2013. As a result, it took ten years to create a storm in a teacup.

The two political parties have vastly diverse perspectives on current events. Nonetheless, their approaches are very similar, and they have piqued the public's interest. The manner in which these parties conduct themselves is unheard of in India. In his early days, the Prime Minister used to describe himself as an outsider in Delhi. He completely transformed it from the inside out. He has changed the way the political environment looks and feels. The AAP began by calling for a change in politics, whereas Modi's BJP changed the rules of the game as well as the game itself.

A new narrative and symbols had to be created for modern politics. The return of nationalistic fervor in politics, a lethal mix predicted by Tagore, is here, but with a twist. It does not value the freedom movement that we are familiar with. It's a new take on the civil rights movement that's popular right now.

The constitution isn't without flaws as well. Liberalism, socialism, and secularism have all lost their luster. It's interwoven with Hindu philosophies. With symbols borrowed from ancient Hindu writings, it resonates with Hindu Rashtra, allowing little or no room for other social, cultural, and religious groups.

It discredits leaders it can, creates new leaders such as Vir Savarkar, and usurps leaders such as Sardar Patel after dusting off some of the ideals that don't suit them. The AAP, which is following in the footsteps of the BJP, is hijacking the legacy of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh, despite the fact that it had nothing to do with them until lately. The new polity follows the PM's sabka saath' slogan. It converts into a flurry of apocalyptic stories that keep people interested. They are more opinionated than they have ever been. In family Whatsapp groups, they are debating politics. Families are splintering over political disagreements!

People's issues used to be political agenda items – unemployment, poverty, price increases, and so on. Not any longer. Today's elections are fought over "non-issues" that have nothing to do with the problems of the people. Political parties are laying out their agendas, refining their narratives, and sweeping the public's worries under the rug. The BJP and AAP have learned that offering freebies rather than real development is a more effective way of wooing voters. Jayalalithaa started it in Tamil Nadu, but the AAP took it to the next level in Delhi, and now the BJP is doing it across the country. The BJP won the UP elections while the AAP swept Delhi thanks to free ration distribution. Both use money from the exchequer to sway voters.

Another new fact of the new India is mainstream politics' sectarian overtures. The fringe elements and hate mongers are front and centre, inciting violence and causing a schism in society while getting away with it. It's nearly become customary to demonize a segment of society under one or more pretexts. Can India prove the fat old man incorrect, who also questioned during the Bengal famine, "Why isn't Gandhi dead," which has some relevance with the ruling party in India today?