There are many surefire arrows in BJP’s quiver for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, such as the rise of Hindutva, Uniform Civil Code, Ram Mandir, etc., but in the last few elections, including the UP elections, the most successful ‘Brahmastra’ of the BJP has been to the poor – Free ration’. PM Modi himself believes that ‘the stomach of the poor cannot be fed by just showing the photo of the food, it is necessary to provide them ration to fill their stomach.’ The intelligence report received by the government also indicates that the PM ‘free grain scheme’ given to the poor has added to the popularity of Modi. A source close to the PMO claims that the PM has told his core group on several occasions that ‘if the total budget of the Government of India is around Rs 40 lakh crore, then if out of this Rs 2 lakh crore is given as free ration to the poor people, what is wrong with it? After all, we are a ‘welfare state’, it is our responsibility that no one sleeps hungry.’ So, there are indications that the program of giving free ration to 813.5 million poor Indians will continue at least till 2024 elections. It will remain so, no matter how much the economists break their heads over it.