India: Prime Minister Modi returns on 900 million eligible voters

Jubilant crowd is sweeping across offices of the ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the return of Indian ‘strong man’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Credit/BBC

India: Prime Minister Modi returns on 900 million eligible voters

Jubilant crowd is sweeping across offices of the ruling party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the return of Indian ‘strong man’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the weekend election.

Celebrations are being held at the offices of the BJP party all over India. Supporters have been distributing sweets, bursting firecrackers and beating drums.

It is now clear that Narendra Modi has won a resounding victory and will lead India for five more years leading in 343 of the 543 seats at the lower house.

A party or coalition needs at least 272 seats to secure a majority in the 543-member lower house of parliament, or Lok Sabha.There had been doubts that  Modi could follow up his thumping victory in 2014 with another huge majority – but he has done it.

For Modi, this victory has been a resounding vote of confidence in his leadership.

Through the campaign he projected himself as the strong leader who could protect the country, and the man who put India’s economy on the fast track.

Even though his time in power was marked by an agrarian crisis, rising unemployment and deepening religious divides, his mass appeal and strong communication seems to have won over voters.

Many analysts also say the lack of a strong opposition may have contributed to this result.

The BBC said: “The governing BJP of Narendra Modi has swept back to victory with a resounding majority of well over 300 seats

The result is a major blow for Rahul Gandhi’s Congress, which once dominated Indian politics

The election was seen as a referendum on Modi, a polarising figure adored by many but also blamed for divisions

With 900 million eligible voters, the election for India’s lower house of parliament was the largest vote the world had seen

More than 2,000 parties and 8,000 candidates are contesting 543 seats. A party or coalition needs at least 272 MPs to form a government”. (With BBC)