Editor’s note: Sunny Hundal is a British-Asian journalist and blogger who has written about Asian issues for a range of publications including The Guardian and The New Statesman. He’s founder and editor of left-leaning blog, Liberal Conspiracy. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) — It appears almost certain that Indians will elect Narendra Modi as their next prime minister following the world’s biggest election.
Established as a secular and liberal nation in 1950, India will find itself in uncharted territory as it has never before had a hardline Hindu nationalist at the helm.
This raises an important question: what will Modi the prime minister be like? Will he sweep away the corruption scandals blighting the country’s reputation and do a better job of rejuvenating India, or will he inflame religious tensions as some fear?
READ: Modi and BJP heading for sweeping win
India has won! भारत की विजय। अच्छे दिन आने वाले हैं।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2014
Much of the criticism aimed at Modi has focused on the riots of 2002 when hundreds, possibly thousands, of Muslims were butchered by Hindu mobs, while his government was accused of standing by and watching. But if a Prime Minister Modi carries on like he did as Chief Minister of Gujarat state and as the candidate for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during campaigning, there are plenty of reasons to be worried about the future. The future Modi is a terrifying prospect if he is based on the past Modi.