India/Global Desk: The results of the general Indian elections were announced on 4 June 2024 by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have emerged as the single largest party and is set to form the government for the third consecutive time.
However, the Narendra Modi led party couldn’t manage to secure the required number of seats to form the government on its own. According to ECI, it lost 63 seats from 2019 and could manage only 240 this time, as out of 543 total seats, a minimum of 272 has to be won to form a government.
As a result, the BJP now have to rely on its alliance partners and regional parties like Janata Dal United (JDU) and Telugu Dasam Party (TDP) from the states of Bihar and Andhra Paradesh respectively, which would obviously make it a dependent government.
Conversely, the Indian National Congress party led opposition alliance named INDIA, which stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, performed much better than the predictions given by exit polls conducted by television news channels. It won around 234 seats as a unit. INDIA is an alliance of several regional and national parties led by the Congress. Within this, regional parties like All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) from West Bengal and Samajwadi Party (SP) from Uttar Pradesh have contributed the maximum number of seats, while Congress on its own could secure only 99, which is 47 more than the previous election.
Even though the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have the required numbers to form the government – 292 seats combined, the Congress led INDIA alliance is also poised to try its luck and get the numbers towards its side, by even possibly convincing the partners of NDA like Nitish Kumar and N. Chandrababu Naidu from JDU and TDP to jump the ship.
Meanwhile, BJP have already informed the media that it will form the new government with an oath taking ceremony on 8 June. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kahage too have stated through social media that the members of the INDIA alliance are also meeting to discuss the strategy further.
The general election in India is considered to be the largest democratic election in the world, often regarded as the festival of democracy. This year the elections were held over seven phases with the participation of 642 million voters. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has stated that this election has set a new world record surpassing G7 and EU nations in terms of voter participation.
In the previous two elections in 2014 and 2019 the BJP had also secured a definitive mandate, with the political wave and popularity of Narendra Modi – who was earlier the Chief Minister of the Gujarat state – paying a major role. It was confident of a resounding victory this time too after its developmental works in infra, economy, defence, and implementing numerous welfare schemes. The construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the scrapping of the Article 370 that had granted a special status to the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir, implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that offered citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring countries, among others were also seen as significant achievements. Although, much to everyone’s surprise, BJP lost 62 seats it had won last time with considerable setbacks in some key states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra to the INDIA alliance parties that have always alleged the Modi government of misusing power and dividing the nation on communal and religious grounds.
Considering this, even if the BJP forms the government, it won’t enjoy the same leeway in passing important bills. It also has to keep its partners happy by handing over important portfolios to them. Therefore, BJP might lack satisfaction while running this government. Besides, its long-term stability will also remain uncertain given the fickleness of Indian politics. An unprecedented political challenge awaits ahead for Modi and BJP.
Nevertheless, the results have been surprising as BJP was being considered as an indomitable force and critics believed thet it would be an onesided election with a weak opposition. However, the united oppistion in the form of INDIA alliance performed far better then expectation, which is a good sign for the health of Indian democracy. Because when opposition is strong, democracy is strong.
(Data Source: Election Commision of India)
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