Modi coalition pledges growth as exit polls show victory

INDIA’S ruling coalition has promised to rev up growth, double farmers’ income and boost infrastructure spending in the next five years after exit polls showed it would retain power when general election votes are counted today.

Exit polls predicted an outright majority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alliance in the seven-phase election that ended on Sunday.

Such surveys have proved misleading before, and the main opposition Congress party dismissed them as fake.

The coalition, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), met in New Delhi on Tuesday confident of victory.

“The NDA has resolved to speed up economic growth and fulfil the needs of the people in the next five years,” said Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a senior BJP member.

“We’re committed to a strong, developed and inclusive India.”

Six of the seven exit polls predicted the NDA would comfortably exceed the majority mark of 272 seats in parliament’s lower house.

But Congress dismissed the polls and urged its workers to remain vigilant at centres where votes were being stored before today’s count.

“The next 24 hours are important, stay alert and vigilant,” its president Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter. “Don’t be disheartened by the false propaganda of fake exit polls. Believe in yourself and the Congress party; your hard work won’t be in vain.”

But analysts say another bad showing by Congress would prompt questions over the leadership of the Nehru-Gandhi family, which has dominated politics for decades.

Economic growth eased to a five-quarter low of 6.6% in the three months to December and there are signs it is still slowing. Modi has also faced criticism for weak farm prices and a shortage of jobs.

March industrial output contracted for the first time in nearly two years, and surveys show a slackening in manufacturing and services growth, while car and motorbike sales have tumbled.

Some economists have called for some stimulus. Singh said plans were ready to meet the BJP’s manifesto pledge to spend 100 trillion rupees (R20 trillion) on infrastructure in the next five years and 25 trillion rupees on agriculture and rural development.

He also reiterated the BJP goal of doubling farmers’ income by 2022, the 75th year of India’s independence from British colonial rule.

Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, whose regional party is part of the NDA, said the election had unleashed a “tsunami” of support for Modi.

Political analysts say the result could cement Modi’s dominant position in politics. Nearly two dozen opposition parties have complained of attempts to tamper with voting machines in vote-counting centres; claims rejected by the election panel.