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NEW DELHI (AP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi Declare victory Because of his alliance in India’s general elections, he claimed to have the necessary mandate to advance his agenda, despite his party losing seats to a stronger-than-expected opposition, which countered his mixed economic record and polarizing policies.
“Today’s victory is a victory for the largest democracy in the world,” Modi told the crowd at his party headquarters on Tuesday, adding that Indian voters had “shown tremendous confidence” in his party and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition.
More than 50 countries will go to the polls in 2024
Official results The Indian Election Commission results on Wednesday showed that the NDA won 294 seats, more than the 272 needed to secure a majority, but far fewer than expected.
For the first time since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2014, it did not secure a majority on its own, winning 240 seats — far short of the record 303 seats it won in the 2019 election.
This means Modi will need the support of other parties in his coalition, representing a stunning blow to the 73-year-old president, who had hoped for a landslide victory. During his election campaign, Modi said his party would likely win 370 seats and its allies another 30 seats.
It now relies on the support of key allies, including the Telugu Desam Party in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh with 16 seats and the Janata Dal (United) which won 12 seats in the eastern state of Bihar, as well as smaller groups.
“Indian voters cannot be taken for granted,” the Times of India said in an editorial. “Voters have clearly indicated that jobs and economic aspirations matter. The economic message from the results is that jobs matter.
The Congress won 99 seats, improving its tally of 52 seats in the 2019 elections. Among its key allies, the Samajwadi Party won 37 seats in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in a major upset for the BJP. The All India Trinamool Congress won 29 seats in West Bengal. and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 22 seats in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
the India Opposition Coalition It won a total of 232 seats.
Milan Vaishnav, the Centre’s director, said the BJP may now be “heavily dependent on the goodwill of its allies, making them critical players who we can expect to do their best, both in terms of policy making and government formation.” South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“At the very least, the result punctures the bubble in Prime Minister Modi’s power. He conducted this election himself,” said Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a political commentator. “Today, he is just another politician, made smaller,” he said in an article in the Indian Express daily. By the people.”
Congress Party supporters chant as they watch vote counting procedures at their party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
More than 640 million votes were cast in the marathon election held over six weeks in the United States The largest democratic practice in the world.
Faced with a sudden drop in support for the BJP, rivals claimed they had also scored a victory of sorts, with the main opposition Congress party saying the election was a “moral and political loss” for Modi.
“This is a victory for the people and a victory for democracy,” Congress party leader Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters.
Despite the setback, Modi pledged to fulfill his election promise to transform India’s economy into the third largest in the world, from the current fifth, and not to shirk moving forward with his agenda.
He said he would boost India’s defense production, boost employment opportunities for youth, increase exports and help farmers, among other things.
“This country will see a new chapter of big decisions. “This is Modi’s guarantee.”
Many of the Hindu nationalist policies he has instituted over the past ten years will also remain in place.
Modi’s victory was only the second time an Indian leader retained power for a third term after Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister. Before Modi came to power, India had coalition governments for 30 years.
Congratulations for Modi poured in from leaders of countries in the region including neighboring Nepal and Bhutan, while the White House praised India for its “vibrant democratic process.”
During his ten years in power, Modi transformed India’s political landscape, bringing… Hindu nationalismIt was once a fringe ideology in Indiainto the mainstream while leaving the country deeply divided.
His supporters see him as a self-made and strong leader who succeeded in improving India’s standing in the world. His critics and opponents say about him Hindu politics first It has generated intolerance while the economy, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, has become more unequal.
For Payal, a resident of the northern city of Lucknow who uses only one name, the election was about the economy and the huge number of people living in poverty in India.
“People are suffering, there are no jobs, and people are in a situation where their children have to make tea and sell it on the roadside,” Payal said. “This is a big deal for us. If we don’t wake up now, when will we wake up?”
Rahul Gandhi, the main face of the opposition Congress Party, said he sees the election numbers as a message from the people.
“The poorest people in this country stood up for the Constitution of India,” he said at a press conference.
Modi’s popularity outstripped his party’s during his first two terms in office, and he also succeeded in turning parliamentary elections into presidential elections. Presidential-style campaignwith the BJP banking on the leader’s brand.
“Modi was not just the main campaigner, he was the only campaigner in this election,” said Yamini Aiyar, a public policy researcher.
Under Modi’s government, critics say India’s democracy has come under increasing pressure due to strong-arm tactics used to subjugate political opponents, pressure independent media and suppress dissent. The government rejects such accusations and says democracy is thriving.
Economic discontent has also worsened under Modi. While stock markets reached record highs, youth unemployment rates rose Only a small portion of Indians Taking advantage of the boom.
As polls opened in mid-April, the BJP was initially confident She focused her campaign On ‘Modi guarantees’, highlighting the economic and social achievements that his party says have led to poverty reduction. With Modi in power, “India will become a developed country by 2047,” he repeated at gathering after rally.
But the campaign has turned increasingly tumultuous, as Modi intensified his targeted, polarizing rhetoric Muslims, who constitute 14% of the populationIt is a tactic that is seen to energize his Hindu majority voters.
The opposition India Alliance attacked Modi for his Hindu nationalist policies, and campaigned on issues of unemployment, inflation and inequality.
Ayar, the public policy researcher, added, “These issues resonated and had an impact.”
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