Upcoming state elections will decide the internal dynamics of parties

BJP in the coalition decades of 1990s and 2000s built itself on the back of strong state-level performances in Gujarat, MP, Chhattisgarh and, to some extent, in Rajasthan. Those outcomes kept BJP in the reckoning, despite Lok Sabha reversals in 2004 and 2009. At present, Congress is working on a similar revival, especially after the recent victory in Karnataka that came on the back of a Himachal Pradesh win last year. The upcoming round of polls is, thus, significant for the GOP, which is in contention in all five states, including Telangana and Mizoram.