Narendra Modi has claimed victory in India’s elections for his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – even though the ongoing vote count indicates his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to fall short of an outright majority.
Despite needing alliance partners to form his third consecutive government, Modi hailed the world’s “biggest victory” in a speech at his party’s New Delhi headquarters as counting continued on Tuesday, in an election with around 640 million participants.
The NDA is on track to secure more than the 272 seats needed for a majority, but the BJP is likely to fall short compared to its 2019 performance of 303 seats. Modi had recently boasted the alliance would win over 400 seats.
Opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi thanked voters for “saving the Indian constitution,” saying, “I am extremely proud of the people of India. And I am extremely proud of the people resisting the onslaught.”
KEY POINTS
- Modi landslide fails to materialize as BJP set to lose outright majority.
- Rahul Gandhi of Congress wins key seats in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala.
- Record 612 million voters cast ballots despite a severe heatwave.
- Modi claims victory, asserts INDIA alliance fell short.
- Opposition parties remain optimistic, dismiss exit poll results.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coalition has secured a parliamentary majority according to early official results released by India’s Election Commission. The NDA won 286 seats, surpassing the 272-seat threshold but falling short of predictions.
Modi claimed victory for the alliance on Tuesday, despite the BJP winning fewer seats than expected — over 60 seats less than their record 303 in 2019.
“Today’s victory is the victory of the world’s largest democracy,” Modi told a crowd at his party’s headquarters. He confirmed the NDA will form the government for a third consecutive term.
Meanwhile, the Congress party celebrated the opposition alliance’s performance, calling it a “win for democracy” and a “moral and political loss” for Modi.
Concerns over rising Islamophobia and democratic erosion persist, but ruling within a coalition will significantly constrain Modi’s agenda over the next five years. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports.
India’s Election Commission chief Rajiv Kumar stated that they chose not to punish top leaders, including Modi, for anti-Muslim rhetoric to maintain fairness. The decision was to remind leaders of their responsibility without direct sanctions.
