New Delhi, June 4: The BJP-led NDA alliance secured a third consecutive victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, despite falling short of expectations and relying on its allies to form the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the win “a historic feat in India’s history” and thanked supporters for placing their faith in the NDA once again.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Delhi BJP headquarters on Tuesday evening and was received by the President of BJP and other leaders amid a showering of confetti and flower petals. Welcoming all those who won the elections on BJP and NDA tickets were given heartiest congratulations.
Prime Minister congratulated and appreciated the role played by Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh and Nitish Kumar in Bihar in organising and supporting the election process and winning it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “historic feat”. “People have placed their faith in NDA, for a third consecutive time! This is a historical feat in India’s history. I bow to the Janata Janardan 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 wrote in a message on “X”.
“I also salute all our Karyakartas for their hard work. Words will never do justice to their exceptional efforts,” PM Modi wrote on X. PM Narendra Modi has thanked supporters for the NDA’s win
Further, while addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters, he said that the mandate was the victory of the biggest democracy in the world. While vowing the regional partner leaders he said, “I assure the people of the four states that went to assembly polls that the Centre will not leave any stone unturned for their development… Under Nitish Babu, the NDA fared well in Bihar.”
While appreciating the outcome of the results, Prime Minister added that there was also the matter of the party adding a few more states to its bag — Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, won along with ally Chandrababu Naidu. The party has also retained Arunachal Pradesh.
As the vote count began on Tuesday morning, it became clear that the BJP’s campaign slogan of “ab ki baar, 400 paar” had failed to materialize. The alliance struggled to reach the 300-seat mark, a significant drop from their 2019 tally of 353 seats. The BJP itself won or led in just over 240 seats, while the Indian National Congress doubled its 2019 tally, securing more than 100 seats.
The NDA faced unexpected setbacks in key states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan. In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party and Congress-led INDIA alliance surged ahead with leads in 42 seats, compared to the NDA’s lead in 37 seats. The BJP’s dominance was also challenged in Bihar, where the Janata Dal (United) emerged as a dominant force.
The Congress party made significant gains, with notable victories in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The TMC, despite being part of the INDIA alliance, contested separately in West Bengal and positioned themselves as frontrunners in the state.
Several prominent figures faced defeat, including BJP’s Smriti Irani in Amethi and K Annamalai in Coimbatore. Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh lost to Bollywood actress and BJP debutante Kangana Ranaut. In Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti conceded defeat to their respective opponents.
The Indian stock market witnessed a significant decline, and the rupee depreciated against the US dollar following the election results. Analysts suggest that the market’s concern stems from the BJP’s lack of a clear majority and the potential concessions needed to form a government.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called the result a mandate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and credited the improved performance to the positive campaign led by the INDIA bloc and Rahul Gandhi’s two yatras. Gandhi, who won from two seats, is yet to decide which Lok Sabha seat he would retain.
As the nation awaits the official announcement of the results by the Election Commission, it is evident that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections have brought about a significant shift in the political landscape of India, with the BJP-led NDA facing a tougher battle than anticipated and the Congress-led Opposition making substantial gains.