Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims an unprecedented victory for NDA even as his own party BJP fails to get a clear majority. The Opposition block INDIA performs much better than expected. Is a big change in Indian politics on the cards?
Our Bureau
New Delhi/Mumbai/Patiala
It is almost an earthquake. The election has rattled many fault-lines in Indian politics. While Narendra Modi is all set to become the Prime Minister for third time, he definitely is on a weaker wicket. And Rahul Gandhi emerges as a big leader as his Congress party is back with a bang.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP has won 292 seats, while the INDIA bloc was ahead in 232 seats, indicating significant gains for the latter. The Congress, which secured only 52 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, won in 99 seats. The BJP had won a majority on its own in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, securing 282 seats in 2014 and improving its tally to 303 seats in the 2019 elections.
Setting a target of winning 370 seats in the 2024 general elections, the BJP-led NDA, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, contested the Lok Sabha elections for a third consecutive term in office. The polls were held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.
Most exit polls predicted a straight term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with quite a few of them projecting a two-thirds majority for the ruling BJP-led NDA.
From now on till the next government is formed, both the ruling party and the Opposition will try to give it their own spin. It has already begun.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the BJP-led NDA will form its third successive government and that it is the victory of resolve of Viksit Bharat, of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ and of strong faith of people in India’s Constitution. Addressing party workers and leaders at the BJP central office here after the results of Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi said people have reposed faith in the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
He said it is the first time after 1962 that a government that completed two full tenures has got a third successive term in office. He said “new history” has been created after six decades. “On this sacred day, it is confirmed that NDA is forming the government for the third time. We are grateful to the people, they reposed full faith on the BJP, NDA. This is the victory of the world’s largest democracy, it is a victory of strong faith on India’s Constitution, it is the victory of the resolve of Viksit Bharat. It is the victory of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude to all workers of the party as the NDA alliance, led by the BJP, is poised to return to power at the Centre. In a post on X, PM Modi said, “The people of the country have expressed their trust in the NDA for the third consecutive time. This is an unprecedented moment in the history of India. I thank my family for their love and blessings. I assure the countrymen that to fulfil their aspirations, we will move forward with new energy, new enthusiasm, and new resolves.”
BJP president JP Nadda said on Tuesday that it is for the first time an alliance is going to form the government at the Centre for the third consecutive time as he thanked people for supporting the NDA which is poised to win 290 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Nadda also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for winning the people’s mandate for another term. “After the formation of the NDA, it’s for the first time in the history of Indian politics that an alliance will form a government for the third time in a row. We are fortunate to witness the moment when Modi ji will become Prime Minister for the third time,” Nadda said while addressing the BJP workers at the party headquarters in Delhi on Tuesday.
“We all know that be it elections or leading the nation, PM Modi has always led the country, party, and the people from the front. I congratulate him,” he added.
Recalling the victory of the NDA in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the BJP chief said, “We know that the country took a new turn in politics and scripted history after 2014. Under the leadership of PM Modi, a strong government was formed after 2014. This strong government was again blessed by the people in 2019. PM Modi’s policies have been blessed once again in 2024 and we are witnessing this historic day.”
On the other hand, the Congress posted a picture of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and former AICC president Sonia Gandhi, posing with the victory symbol. It was captioned “Dhanyavad Hindustan.”
It also posted a picture of the Indian Constitution with Rahul Gandhi in the background, captioned, “Hindustan ki Janta ki Awaaz – Samvidhan.”
The Congress party welcomed the results of the Lok Sabha elections, and termed it the “political and moral defeat” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on whose name the Bharatiya Janata Party campaign was run. This comes after the BJP failed to cross the majority mark on its own. According to the Election Commission of India, BJP is currently ahead on 239 seats. But, the overall tally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is close to 300. The majority mark in 272.
Addressing the press conference on Tuesday, Mallikarjun Kharge said, “This election results are ‘janta ka result’. This is the victory of people and the democracy. We were saying that the fight is Modi vs the people. In the 18th Lok Sabha election, we humbly accept the result. People have not given a full majority to any party. BJP asked to vote for one person, the mandate has gone against Modi. It is his political and moral loss. The person who sought votes on his name, it’s a huge loss for him.”
The Congress President lauded the party’s campaign and said they continued to raise the issues of the public such as inflation and unemployment. He also said that Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra formed the foundation of the party’s campaign.
“Congress and the INDIA bloc fought the elections positively, government machinery tried to create hurdles for us, our accounts were frozen, ran cases against our leaders. But, still, we continued to raise the issue of farmers, labourers, inflation, unemployment and misuse of central agencies. People in huge numbers joined us. Both the yatras of Rahul Gandhi became the foundation of our campaign. We gave our 5 Nyays and 25 Guarantees into our campaign,” Kharge said.
“People realized that if PM Modi gets another term, the next attack will be on the Constitution and democracy of the country. It is fortunate that the BJP won’t succeed in their purpose now,” he added.
As none of the major parties has received a full majority in the Lok Sabha elections with counting almost coming to an end, the Congress party will hold discussions with its allies as well as “new partners,” party president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday.
He said that the “fight” is not over, and they will continue to work for people’s rights and protection of the Constitution and democracy.
The results reveal a strong performance by the INDIA bloc against the incumbent BJP-led NDA. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut remarked that Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal have orchestrated the most significant ‘Khela’ of the election.
“There is going to be a change in the country. We look at this positively. The exit polls, which were not giving us even 100 seats, are today saying that the government will be formed. The BJP will lose more seats by the evening, and they will fall below 240. Now they are calling on everyone to form the government. Maharashtra, UP, and West Bengal have done the biggest ‘khela’,” Raut said.
“The people of the country have given a farewell to Narendra Modi. The BJP has not got a majority in 2024,” he added.
He further pointed out that people have responded to the BJP, which has committed injustice by breaking the parties of Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. “Wherever Modi and Shah have done injustice, they have got the answer from there. Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray’s party was broken in Maharashtra. The people here have given their answer. If they try to form the government by breaking the people, the people will come out on the streets. We will win five seats in Mumbai by this evening,” Sanjay Raut added.
Meanwhile, in an interesting take, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Misa Bharti said Nitish Kumar would be welcomed into the alliance.”
With the BJP failing to get a clear majority, it will be dependent on leaders like Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu for forming the government. These two may emerge as the real kingmakers as the ruling party faces a reality check after 10 years in power.
