Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in for a third term on Thursday, promising to work for the “poor, the downtrodden and the marginalized” as he took the oath of office in a ceremony that was scaled back because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The world is witnessing a wave of elections in which strongmen are being challenged, and in some cases, defeated. In the United States, President Donald Trump, who has been accused of authoritarian tendencies, is facing a tough re-election battle against former Vice President Joe Biden.

By Rakesh Raman Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was once considered invincible, is now struggling to stay in power. Modi, who is known for his aggressive and autocratic style of governance, is facing a tough challenge from the opposition parties in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) where he is trying to win the assembly elections to be held in February 2017.