A season of protests has shaken up Indian politics. What comes next?

The protests that have shaken Indian politics this year have been driven by the "P" word—protests. Youth-led demonstrations at Jantar Mantar have given the Opposition new hope as they have managed to challenge the BJP's invincible image. However, without a court strike down the government's decision to denotify Jantar Mantar as a protest site, such protests may not continue.

Two prominent figures in the protests have paused for now. Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), indicated that the next round of protests would occur only after Diwali. Meanwhile, the Congress plans to hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, one of the designated protest sites.

The protests initially highlighted dissatisfaction surrounding the NEET paper leaks and a compromised examination system, leading to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister. However, the CJP shifted focus from demanding concrete reforms in the examination system.

Gen Z voters have emerged as a new category, with political parties courting their support. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to them via Instagram, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat engaged with 2,000 youth in Mumbai, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi championed their cause through "Chhatron ki Goonj" programs.

The protests led to the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising questions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan called for "regime change," while student leader Neha Bora expressed solidarity for socialist students in Bangladesh, whose government was violently overthrown in 2024.

The most urgent task for protesters is to restore the credibility of the electoral exercise, ensuring the restoration of legitimate voters whose names were deleted. This is crucial before the upcoming state elections next year, which will shape the post-2027 political landscape.