The Indian democratic nation led by prime minister Narendra Modi, completed the Lok Sabha elections (general elections) voting phases since Tuesday (4) early morning the counting for votes began. The ruling government was expecting to cross 400 seats out of 543; unfortunately, they are falling short of many, not even crossing 300 seats.
The exit polls as per Indian media houses had predicted a landslide, but the numbers are falling short more than expected.
Symphony of democracy: CEC Rajiv Kumar paints a portrait of gratitude to the incredible polling personnel. Despite facing tough challenges, they ensure no voter is left behind.#ChunavKaParv #DeshKaGarv #ECI #GeneralElections2024 pic.twitter.com/D0rHTfHhrJ
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) June 3, 2024
Early fluctuations on the see-saw rattled markets as stocks took a steep nosedive. Both the NIFTY 50 and the S&P BSE Sensex plummeted by over 2 per cent by 0500 GMT. The rupee also saw a decline against the dollar, while benchmark bond yields rose.
Markets had experienced a surge on Monday (3) following exit polls on June 1, projecting a significant victory for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), of which BJP is a part, was anticipated to secure a two-thirds majority and more.
At 0430 GMT, television channels indicated that the NDA was leading in nearly 300 of the 543 elective parliamentary seats, achieving a simple majority, based on early counting. The opposition INDIA alliance, led by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party, was ahead in over 200 seats, surpassing expectations.
Only about 10 percent to 15 percent of the total votes had been counted at that time, as reported by TV channels.
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BJP alone was leading in nearly 250 seats within the NDA, compared to the 303 seats it won in 2019. Trends also depicted Modi initially leading, then trailing, and leading again in his constituency of Varanasi, a Hindu holy city.
The initial votes counted were postal ballots, primarily cast by troops serving outside their home constituencies or officials on election duty away from home. This year, postal votes were also extended to voters over 85 years of age and people with disabilities, enabling them to vote from home.
The counting process is expected to continue for several hours as the bulk of votes cast through electronic voting machines (EVMs) are tallied after the initial 30 minutes of counting postal ballots.
“These are very early trends; we anticipate more accurate results as the day progresses,” stated Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera.
Exit polls aired after the conclusion of voting on June 1 projected a significant win for Modi. However, exit polls in India have often failed to predict election outcomes accurately. Out of nearly one billion registered voters, 642 million participated in the election.
If Modi’s victory is confirmed, his BJP will have succeeded in a contentious campaign marked by accusations of religious bias and threats to various population segments.
अगले मंगलवार
फिर एक बार मोदी सरकार…#PhirEkBaarModiSarkar pic.twitter.com/n3FeAKjPAu— BJP (@BJP4India) May 30, 2024
“The primary task of the next government will be to propel India towards prosperity before its population ages,” remarked the Times of India in an editorial on Tuesday, referring to the youthful demographic of the world’s most populous nation. “Time is of the essence.”
Over one billion people were eligible to vote in the seven-phase, seven-week-long poll that commenced on April 19, amid scorching summer temperatures, reaching nearly 50°C (122°F) in some regions.
Despite pre-poll concerns that voters might abstain from what seemed like a predetermined contest in favor of Modi, more than 66 percent of registered voters turned out, just one percentage point lower than the previous 2019 election.
Modi, 73, aiming to become only the second prime minister after India’s independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to secure three consecutive terms, began his campaign by highlighting his achievements in office, including economic growth, welfare policies, national pride, Hindu nationalism, and his personal commitment to fulfilling promises, which he termed “Modi’s Guarantee.”
However, he shifted his approach after low voter turnout in the initial phase, accusing the opposition, especially the Congress party, of favoring India’s 200 million Muslims. Analysts viewed this pivot as making the campaign more divisive.
They suggested that the move might have been intended to energize the Hindu nationalist base of Modi’s BJP. Modi defended himself against accusations of stoking divisions between Hindus and Muslims for electoral gain, attributing such divisions to the opposition campaign.
The opposition INDIA alliance refuted claims of favoring Muslims in the Hindu-majority country and warned that Modi would undermine the constitution if re-elected, jeopardizing affirmative action enjoyed by backward castes. The BJP dismissed these allegations.
