Key Points
. Indiastransformative yet divisive Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared victory in national elections on Tuesday evening, but hisgoal of winning an unassailable majority was left in tatters after voters delivered a shock result that reduced the extent of his partys grip on power.. ..
Today is a glorious day National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is going to form the government for the third time, we are grateful to the people, Modi told cheering supporters at his party headquarters in New Delhi, referring to the initials of his political alliance..
But Modis ruling Bharatiya Janata Party fell short of securing the 272 seats needed to win an outright majority in parliament, a stunning upset that leaves them reliant on coalition partners to form a government.. . Modis NDA alliance won 292 seats combined, out of which his BJP alone secured 240.. ..
This is a personal blow to Modi, who had triumphantly vowed to win a 400-seat supermajority in this years election and romped to victory the last two contests with a simple majority for the BJP, turning his Hindu nationalist right-wing party into an electoral juggernaut.. . Indias opposition, who had largely been written off in the polls and by many analysts, portrayed the result as a rejection of Modis divisive style.. . Rahul Gandhi, the leader of Indias National Congress, said early election results showed that the country has unanimously and clearly stated that it does not want Modi and his party to run the country.. ..
Results also show they have chipped away at BJP seats, including in some of the ruling partys traditional strongholds.. . Meanwhile Indian stocks plunged Tuesday as Modis dream of a landslide victory slipped away, raising doubts about his ability to push through more aggressive economic reforms...
