As India concludes its monumental 7-stage general election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading in the vote count but falls short of the landslide victory projected by exit polls. The BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are ahead in nearly 300 of the 543 elective seats in parliament, while the opposition Indian National Development Alliance (INDIA) bloc, led by the Congress party, has outperformed expectations, leading in over 220 seats. Notably, the Congress party has made significant gains, leading in nearly 100 seats, marking an improvement from previous elections and regional parties have also made substantial gains against the BJP in key states such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is leading in the Gandhinagar seat by a margin of 2.14 lakh votes and notable figures like Kangana Ranaut and Anurag Thakur are leading in their respective seats in Himachal Pradesh according to Election Commission trends. The BJP is aiming for at least 400 seats but is now struggling to reach the 272-seat majority mark. The uncertainty surrounding the final election outcome has led to a sharp decline in the Indian stock market, with the Sensex crashing by over 3,000 points and the rupee falling sharply.
Key points
- The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is leading in India’s general elections but may not secure the landslide victory predicted.
- The opposition INDIA alliance has outperformed exit poll predictions, leading in over 220 seats.
- The Congress party is leading in nearly 100 seats, indicating gains from the previous elections.
- Market reaction to the election uncertainty has been negative, with the Sensex dropping over 3,000 points.
Contradictions👾While the BJP is leading, it is not expected to reach the 400-seat target and is struggling to secure a majority.
👾The opposition INDIA alliance is performing better than expected, leading in more seats than predicted by exit polls.
