Narendra Modi has declared victory for his alliance in India’s general election, securing a third term as leader of the world’s most populous democracy. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) experienced a drop in support. Narendra Modi is set to be sworn in for a third consecutive term as Prime Minister of India on June 8.
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The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Narendra Modi, won 294 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, surpassing the 272-seat majority threshold but falling short of expectations.
BJP alone secured 240 seats, a decline from its 2019 tally of 303 seats marking the first time since 2014 that the party did not achieve an outright majority. Modi’s predictions during the campaign of winning 370 seats with allies proved overly optimistic.
Narendra Modi Now Depends on Key Allies including:
- Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with 16 seats in Andhra Pradesh
- Janata Dal (United) with 12 seats in Bihar
The Congress party, the main opposition increased its seat count from 52 in 2019 to 99 seats.
Samajwadi Party won 37 seats in Uttar Pradesh. All India Trinamool Congress secured 29 seats in West Bengal. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam captured 22 seats in Tamil Nadu. The opposition INDIA coalition collectively won 232 seats.
Voters expressed economic concerns, focusing on job creation, inflation and inequality. The Times of India editorial highlighted that “jobs and economic aspirations matter.”
Narendra Modi’s campaign addressed economic achievements and future promises including turning India into the world’s third-largest economy, advancing defense production, boosting youth employment, raising exports and supporting farmers.
Analysts suggest Narendra Modi’s reduced majority pricks the bubble of his previously unchallenged authority. Political commentator Pratap Bhanu Mehta said, “Today, he is just another politician, cut to size by the people.”
Milan Vaishnav from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace pointed out that allies would now play a critical role in policy-making and government formation.
“Indian voters had shown immense faith,” modi proclaimed. Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge described the result as a “moral and political loss” for Modi.
Congratulations poured in from regional leaders, while the White House praised India’s “vibrant democratic process.”
Narendra Modi’s policies including Hindu nationalism are set to continue, raising concerns among minority groups about their future under his administration.
Narendra Modi committed to his ambitious agenda, promising bold decisions and economic progress. Economic disparities and joblessness remain challenges.
A business student from Lucknow voiced concerns about poverty and unemployment.
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The 2024 general election involved over 640 million votes cast over six weeks, highlighting the scale of India’s democratic exercise.
High temperatures exceeding 120 degrees in some regions may have impacted voter turnout. Heatwaves, attributed to climate change, with casualties reported due to heatstroke.
Narendra Modi’s presidential-style campaign focused heavily on his personal brand, sidelining broader party efforts. Some argue this approach may have contributed to the electoral underperformance.
Narendra Modi’s popularity, previously outstripping that of his party faced scrutiny as economic discontent and polarizing rhetoric influenced voter behavior.
Under Narendra Modi’s government accusations of strong-arm tactics against political opponents, media suppression and dissent quashing have surfaced.
The government denies these allegations, asserting democratic flourishing. Freedom House reports highlight shrinking freedom of expression, citing journalist arrests, AI-driven information manipulation and social media censorship as concerning trends.
The NDA, led by the BJP scraped past the majority mark with a total of 292 seats. The alliance relied heavily on the 53 seats contributed by its coalition partners to achieve this figure.
The Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], led by Nitish Kumar, secured 12 seats and is demanding three Cabinet positions.
The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, which won an unspecified number of seats is asking for one Cabinet berth and two Minister of State (MoS) positions.
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The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), headed by Chirag Paswan seeks one Cabinet and one MoS post. Jitam Ram Manjhi of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)] is pressing for a Cabinet post.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Council of Ministers submitted their resignation to President Droupadi Murmu on June 5. President Murmu accepted the resignation but requested Modi to continue in his role until the new government assumes office.
Narendra Modi’s oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for June 8, making him the second Indian Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to serve three consecutive terms.
Narendra Modi chaired the last meeting of his second-term Cabinet on June 5, where the focus was on evaluating the election results and planning for the new government.
During this meeting, Modi acknowledged the electoral setback but addressed that winning and losing are integral to politics.
Senior NDA leaders including Nitish Kumar and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president Chandrababu Naidu, arrived in Delhi for an alliance meeting to discuss government formation.
The meeting is expected to address the distribution of Cabinet positions and plans for the upcoming term.
The opposition coalition known as the INDIA bloc and led by the Indian National Congress performed better than anticipated, winning 234 seats. The Congress itself secured 99 seats, an increase from the 52 seats it won in 2019.
The BJP managed to offset losses in traditional strongholds with strong performances in states like Odisha (20 of 21 seats), Andhra Pradesh (21 of 25 seats), Madhya Pradesh (29 of 29 seats), and Bihar (30 of 40 seats).
Despite gains in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, the BJP failed to win any seats in Tamil Nadu for the second consecutive election, where the DMK-led INDIA bloc allies dominated all 39 seats.
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