INDIA heat wilts lotus, coalition saves the day
NEW DELHI , CHENNAI : New Delhi: Mandate 2024 marked the return of coalition politics to India after a decade of absolute majority, requiring respect for the wishes of smaller allies and raising the prospect of slower economic reforms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw its seat count dip to 240 as per trends late evening—a loss of 63 seats from the 303 it won five years earlier. While BJP is far from a simple majority of 272 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) it leads is set to cross the half-way mark.
As of press time, the NDA had either won or was ahead in 292 seats, which entitles it to a clear third term. The opposition INDIA alliance is likely to secure 234 seats, led by the Indian National Congress which nearly doubled its Parliament strength to 99 seats. INDIA is short for Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance.
Also read | Mint Primer: The verdict in three minutes “People have placed their faith in NDA, for a third consecutive time! This is a historical feat in India’s history," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X, formerly Twitter. “I bow to the Janata Janardan (people of India) for this affection and assure them that we will continue the good work done in the last decade to keep fulfilling the aspirations of people," he added. The BJP broke into new territories in the east, notably Odisha, where it won the state elections decisively—but its overall numbers were impacted due to a slide in Hindi heartland states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana, and the western state of Maharashtra.
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