India leader Modi celebrates after landslide victory

AMID showers of rose petals and cheers from thousands of supporters, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi celebrated a landslide election victory yesterday.

Despite rising joblessness and falling farm incomes, his Hindu nationalist party (BJP) increased its majority in the lower house of parliament.

It is forecast to win 302 of the 542 seats up for grabs and combined with the party’s allies, that number will reach nearly 350.

The country’s first back-toback majority for a single party since 1984 will be confirmed today.

Modi’s business-friendly policies and a tough stance on national security swayed a large majority of the estimated 600million who voted. Speaking at the party’s HQ in Delhi, Mr Modi, pictured yesterday, said: ‘This election was fought not by politicians but the people of this country. But it’s the people of this country who have emerged victorious.’ The 68- year- old tweeted: ‘Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again!’ Critics have said his Hindu-first platform and strongman approach risks exacerbating tensions in the country of 1.3billion people. The main opposition Congress, the party of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and peace activist Mahatma Gandhi, was ahead in just 52 seats.