Just as a wave of conservative populism is sweeping across Europe and the United States, a similar pattern is unfolding in the world’s largest democracy. During recent state elections, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s center-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a commanding victory in the all-important state of Uttar Pradesh . As a result, about three of every five Indians — 740 million people — now live under a state government run by the BJP or an allied party — seven times the number who live under the six state governments ruled by India's historically dominant Congress Party and its allies. Emboldened by its sweeping success in the country's heartland, the BJP is doubling down on its Hindu nationalist platform — as evidenced by the party’s choice of Hindu cleric Yogi Adityanath as the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.