Narendra Modi has claimed victory in India’s elections for his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) – despite the ongoing vote count suggesting his own Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was set to fall short of an outright majority.
Despite likely being forced to rely on alliance partners to form his third consecutive government, Mr 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 participated in by some 640 million people.
Mr Modi’s alliance is on course to win more than the 272 seats needed to form a majority, but the BJP is likely to fall short of an outright majority and far short of the party’s performance in 2019 when they won 303 seats. Until only recently Mr Modi had boasted the alliance would win more than 400 seats.
Leader of the opposition Congress party Rahul Gandhi thanked voters for “saving the Indian constitution”, telling a press conference: “I am extremely proud of the people of India. And I am extremely proud of the people resisting the onslaught.”
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Analysis: Modi faces greatest pressure of his political career as BJP falls short of outright majority
Concerns over a rise in Islamophobia and the erosion of democracy remain, but having to rule within a coalition will severely limit what Narendra Modi can do in the next five years. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports
Namita Singh5 June 2024 03:49
India’s election watchdog ‘deliberately’ did not punish Modi for anti-Muslim speeches
The chief of India’s Election Commission has said that the watchdog made a “deliberate” decision not to punish top leaders of the two leading parties after prime minister Narendra Modi was accused of stoking anti-Muslim animus on the campaign trail.
Rajiv Kumar told the news website Scroll at a press conference on the eve of the counting of votes that they were non-discriminatory in their approach.
Mr Kumar said that they decided not to go after Mr Modi and his chief lieutenant Amit Shah from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the primary opposition Congress party to keep it fair.
“We deliberately decided – this is such a huge nation – that the top two people in both the parties we did not touch. Both party presidents we touched equally,” Mr Kumar told Scroll. “Why did we leave two this side and two that side? The persons in position in this huge country also have responsibility. We reminded them of their responsibility.”
Shweta Sharma has the full report:
Andy Gregory5 June 2024 02:01
John Oliver election episode calling out ‘fawning’ coverage of Modi made unavailable in India
John Oliver has called out the “uncritical, fawning praise” of Narendra Modi in his latest episode of Last Week Tonight, which is not listed on the show’s official streaming partner in India and is also unavailable for viewing on YouTube.
Andy Gregory5 June 2024 01:03
How would a slimmer victory impact Modi’s plans for India’s economy?
The BJP manifesto says it aims to make India the third-largest economy in the world, from fifth-largest. The party promises to maintain high growth and low inflation while keeping budget deficit under control. It also talks about boosting manufacturing and creating employment opportunities, without giving details.
Experts say that Narendra Modi will have a tough balancing act in his third term as he will have to ensure that possible demands from key allies for welfare policies are met.
Analysts say Mr Modi may also have to take supply-side measures like cuts in import duties to lower inflation as well as creating an environment for investments that lead to jobs – two key planks for the opposition during the election.
Amid a stronger opposition and to keep allies happy, Mr Modi might also have to delay reforms attractive to investors such as labour laws that make it easier for companies to hire and fire, analysts said.
Political commentator Arati Jerath said there appeared to be a consensus in parliament around reform in general. “But radical reforms like labour reforms, land reforms, I think the new government will have to go very slow on that,” he said. “Because it’s not just the pulls and pressures of the coalition government, but also a much stronger opposition.”
In Mr Modi’s first term as prime minister, he tried to push through legislation that would have made it easier to buy land for industrial corridors, rural housing and electrification, and for defence purposes. However, the plan was put on hold amid stiff resistance from the opposition.
Workers take precautions as votes counted in sweltering heat
Temperatures in the Indian capital were down on Tuesday from highs of 45C in the past week , but election officials and political parties were nonetheless taking precautions as votes were being counted.
Workers carried cases of water into one air-conditioned counting station in New Delhi early in the morning in preparation, while tents outside for security personnel and others were outfitted with industrial evaporative coolers.
Temperatures in the morning hovered around 37C in New Delhi and were expected to rise to 41C by the end of the day.
At the headquarters of the opposition Congress party, a tent was set up outside, equipped with evaporative coolers, for waiting media.
Andy Gregory4 June 2024 23:15
Modi allies ‘will extract their pound of flesh’, predicts analyst
If Narendra Modi’s BJP fails to win a majority on its own, it could “be heavily dependent on the goodwill of its allies, which makes them critical players who we can expect will extract their pound of flesh, both in terms of policymaking as well as government formation,” said Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“This would be truly, you know, uncharted territory, both for Indians as well as for the prime minister,” Mr Vaishnav told the Associated Press.
Since coming to power in 2014, Mr Modi’s BJP has governed in a coalition government but has always had a majority on its own.
Andy Gregory4 June 2024 22:17
Modi’s BJP facing major upset in Uttar Pradesh
Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party is facing a major upset in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh at the hands of a powerful regional group, Samajwadi Party, or Socialist Group.
The Samajwadi Party, led my Akhilesh Yadav, already had won 10 seats and was leading in another 28 seats. Its ally, the Congress party, won four seats and was leading in another two.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party had won 12 seats and was leading in 20 seats. Exit polls had predicted a landslide victory for BJP in all 80 seats.
Modi was among the winners in the state from the Varanasi constituency. Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party won in his family bastion of Rae Bareli.
In January, Modi inaugurated a massive temple for Lord Ram in Varanasi. Rajendra Chaudhry, spokesperson for the Samajwadi Party, said: “In this election, it seems Lord Ram has deserted the BJP.”
Best memes as Indians react to unexpectedly close election: ‘Public is smart’
Indians flooded social media with memes and jokes as the vote count in the elections put an unexpected spin on the outcome on Tuesday, with Narendra Modi’s party falling short of the landslide victory predicted in the exit polls.
Andy Gregory4 June 2024 20:24
India sets record as 642 million vote despite deadly heatwave
A record-breaking 642 million voters cast their ballots in India’s general election, officials announced on Monday, as the huge counting operation was due to begin despite a deadly heatwave.
The seven-phase vote – the world’s largest – began on 19 April and was held in scorching heat in many parts of the country, with temperatures rising to nearly 50C in some regions.
More than 200 people, including dozens of workers on election duty, have died in recent days as India sweltered under exceptional heat.
At least 33 of those who died were working at polling stations on Saturday, during the seventh and last phase of voting. Most were working as security or sanitation workers. Election duty is compulsory in India for public sector employees, who are assigned by the election commission before voting begins.
My colleagues Stuti Mishra and Namita Singh have more in this report:
Andy Gregory4 June 2024 19:31
Modi promises ‘new chapter of big decisions’
India will will see a “new chapter of big decisions” in his third term in office, Narendra Modi has claimed in a speech to supporters at his party’s headquarters in New Delhi.
After claiming victory for his coalition alliance despite a lacklustre performance from his own party, Mr Modi told the crowd he would not shirk from pushing forward with his agenda.
He vowed to advance India’s defence production, jobs for youth, raise exports and help farmers, among other promises, saying: “This country will see a new chapter of big decisions. This is Modi’s guarantee.”
Andy Gregory4 June 2024 18:38