India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, seems likely to secure a third term in office, although initial Indian election results suggest that he has not achieved the overwhelming victory that many had anticipated.
By early Tuesday afternoon, with half of the 640 million votes counted, preliminary results indicated that Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies had secured 290 seats, sufficient to form a majority government for the next five years.
However, this marked a decline from their 2019 success. The BJP appeared set to lose nearly 70 constituencies, winning only 240 seats, necessitating reliance on its coalition partners to reach the 272-seat majority. This outcome contrasts sharply with the two-thirds majority that numerous exit polls had forecasted over the weekend.
Opposition INDIA
In contrast, the opposition coalition, known as INDIA, seemed to exceed expectations, collectively winning 234 seats, according to the initial tally. Comprising over 20 national and regional opposition parties, this alliance had united for the first time in this election with the goal of unseating Modi, who has been in power since 2014.
The early Indian election results represented a significant victory for the country’s primary opposition party and the BJP’s chief rival, the Indian National Congress, which had suffered resounding defeats in the previous two elections against Modi and faced doubts about its future as a political entity. Nonetheless, it appeared that the Congress party had doubled its seat count in this election.
If the results hold steady as counting progresses, they could have far-reaching implications for India’s political landscape post-election. Since assuming office a decade ago, Modi and his Hindu nationalist BJP have enjoyed substantial dominance, while the opposition, particularly the Congress party, has been perceived as weak and incapable of challenging the BJP’s supremacy.
However, the INDIA coalition proved more resilient than many analysts had anticipated, bolstered by strong showings from regional parties like the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Party in Tamil Nadu.
