'Brand Modi' gets a thumbs up as PM's party sweeps India polls

New Delhi

REBOUNDING from a self-inflicted banknote crisis to deliver his party a stunning victory in state polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows dominance that mirrors India's early independence leaders and bodes well for his re-election in 2019, analysts say.

Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a surprise absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh over the weekend, a result not seen in decades in the northern state that's home to 220 million people and seen as a bellwether of national politics.