In Raebareli, a city in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and a stronghold of the opposition Congress party since independence in 1947 life goes on as usual within the walls of what serves as the local Congress office. Clothes dry in the sunshine, washing machines beep, and families carry out their morning routines, undisturbed by the political fervor that grips other parts of the country. This scene, observed by a Reuters correspondent weeks before the parliamentary election scheduled to start on April 19, reflects the decline of the Congress Party, dominated by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, which has ruled India for 54 of the past 77 years.

Polls predict a sweeping victory for the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), potentially securing all 80 parliamentary seats from Uttar Pradesh in the lower house. This unprecedented win would inaugurate Modi’s third consecutive term as Prime Minister, with the election results due to be announced on June 4, after a seven-phase voting process.

The Congress Party, once led in Raebareli by Sonia Gandhi as its lower house representative from 2004 until last year when she transitioned to the upper house, is predicted to face another significant loss. This could reduce its role as a major opposition force, with many attributing the anticipated defeat to the dull campaigning efforts of Sonia and her son Rahul Gandhi, 53. Despite Rahul Gandhi’s efforts, which included walking over 10,000 kilometers across the country in the last year to spread Congress’s message that Modi is undermining the secular and democratic fabric of India, the party’s influence seems to wane.

This election highlights the changing political landscape in India, marking a potentially defining moment for Modi’s leadership and the future direction of the world's largest democracy.