is accounted for and I wonder if the cost is added to the expenditure account(s) of the candidate(s) who were on the stage. On State power, it is well known that Mr Modi has by-passed the ministers concerned and controls all the levers of State power — the Intelligence Bureau, the Home Ministry, the Department of Revenue and the investigative agencies. Regarding political authority, his is the only voice that matters in the BJP on forging alliances, choice of candidates, election strategy and setting the narrative. The job of the famous blog-writer is only to provide ex-post justification.

Read | In 2019 manifesto, Congress changes own tune: No sedition law, diluted AFSPA

The Congress was no match to the BJP in money or power. However, it stole a march inthe realm of ideas. Early in the election season, the Congress realised that there was a yearning among the people for less noise, more security, vastly more jobs, relief to the farmers and welfare of the poor. The Congress decided to listen to the voices of the people. In due course, those voices supplied the ideas and the narrative for the most talked about election manifesto in Indian politics.

Within days of the release of the Congress manifesto on April 2, the battle line was no longer Mr Modi vs the Congress; it was Mr Modi vs the Congress manifesto. Just listen to any speech of Mr Modi. Apart from the usual quota of falsehoods and abuse of the Gandhi family, Mr Modi will launch into the Congress manifesto,