evidence: The shock result sparked feverish celebrations among India’s opposition parties and marked a rare setback for an Indian politician who had never failed to secure a majority in state or national elections over a 23-year political career. As prime minister for the past decade, Modi has cultivated an image as a popular strongman and a serial winner, and most political analysts had expected him to easily brush aside India’s enervated and poorly funded opposition parties once more. [...] Late Tuesday, Modi struck a defiant tone as he presented his leadership as the only choice "if 21st-century India wishes to progress." He emphasized that he would form a new government and work with smaller-party leaders to govern India as a coalition, and he pledged to hit back even harder at the opposition alliance, which he described as corrupt. [...] But as the campaign unfolded, bitter recriminations over India’s religious and caste divides, often fanned by Modi himself, overshadowed discussions about his accomplishments, including improving India’s infrastructure, introducing pro-business policies and enhancing the country’s international image.