ALBAWABA- The Indian Election Commission has announced the victory of Narendra Modi's coalition in the general elections. Modi, a popular yet controversial leader who first rose to power in 2014, is poised to secure a third consecutive term as prime minister.
Although exit polls had suggested a landslide victory for his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the results indicate that the BJP will fall short of an overall majority.
To achieve a majority in the lower house of parliament, 272 seats are required. Currently, the BJP is ahead in only 240 seats as counting progresses. As a result, Modi's party is expected to form a coalition government, likely securing him another term as prime minister.
Modi described the coalition's success as a "historic feat." Despite initial exit polls predicting an overwhelming majority for the BJP, the party is part of the broader National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is leading in nearly 300 constituencies.
If Modi leads a coalition government, the 73-year-old will become only the second prime minister in India's history, after Jawaharlal Nehru, to win three consecutive terms. The counting of 642 million votes, in what is the world's largest election, began early this morning with approximately three-quarters of the votes tallied so far.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Modi declared victory, saying: "People have placed their faith in NDA for a third consecutive time! This is a historical feat in India's history." He also thanked supporters and campaign staff, noting, "Words will never do justice to their exceptional efforts."
The BJP and its allies faced a broad opposition alliance led by the Congress party and its main campaign leader, Rahul Gandhi. Early counting shows the anti-Modi alliance ahead in 232 constituencies.
