The Dislocation of an Empty Signifier in India’s Fractured Political Discourse

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi marks his 75th birthday on September 17, 2025, Indian politics hums with speculation and subtle shifts. Once the unchallenged architect of a resurgent India, Modi’s towering persona—synonymous with economic vigor, nationalist fervor, and unyielding leadership—appears frayed. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) informal retirement norm at 75, rooted in its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak...