A Google Hangout with
Dr. Shashi Tharoor (10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EST)
Minister and Member of Parliament, Thiruvananthapuram
Indian National Congress Party

Prodyut Bora (11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EST)
National Executive Member
Bharatiya Janata Party

With Discussants
Dr. Bharath Gopalaswamy
Deputy Director, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

Mr. Mohan Guruswamy
Nonresident Senior Fellow, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

Dr. Rajan Menon
Nonresident Senior Fellow, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

Moderated by
Mr. Shuja Nawaz
Director, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council

An historic voter turnout gave an unprecedented mandate for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and defeat for the Indian National Congress Party. Many see the results of the election portending a shift from the populist policies of the past to a more pro-investment, growth, and business approach. While the BJP has received an enviable mandate, large swaths of the population remain skeptical of the Prime Minister, most notably in his ability to replicate the success of the Gujarat Model, his right-wing Hindu ideology, and his relative inexperience in foreign policy.

One of the key Congress Party MPs reelected from his constituency and former minister of external affairs and minister of human resource development, Dr. Shashi Tharoor will participate in a Google Hangout to reflect on the electoral sea change and outline key priorities for the incoming government. A conversation on the BJP's first steps will follow with Mr. Prodyut Bora, an architect of the Party's online campaign and current national executive member of the BJP.