Letter.

LetterPublished in The National UAE on8Nov 23, Big wins for Modi in India's state elections About Bibhudatta Pradhan's article How Modi's BJP won key state polls - and why general election victory should follow (December 5): This was a comprehensive and well-researched piece. Despite the criticism of opposition parties and the personal nature of comments from rival factions directed towards the BJP, the party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi won three out of five states in the election and this victory has to be lauded. Election trends have gradually changed in India as shown by these results. False promise and freebies are not going to yield rewards. The only thing that works with voters is the delivery of electoral promises and evident development. These results must have come as a shock to the opposition parties and the third front. We'll have to see if the general elections next year will bear a similar result. Whatever the verdict, the people's vote and their choice will need to be respected. K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India