Modi sweeps back to power in landslide for populism
India offers overwhelming support after controversial campaign that was seen by many as anti-muslim
NARENDRA MODI swept back into power in India yesterday after his Hindu nationalist party made unexpected gains in a landslide victory.
Six weeks and 600million votes after the start of the mammoth election, the results were tallied yesterday. Within hours, TV networks predicted a win for Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Official data last night showed the BJP ahead in 300 of the 542 seats up for grabs, up from the 282 it won in 2014. Just 272 were needed for a majority in the lower house of parliament.
The results give his party the first back-to-back majority in Indian elections since 1984. “I bow my head to the 1.3billion Indian people,” said Mr Modi, 68, at a packed victory rally at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. This victory will be an inspiration for generations.”
The scale of the victory has surprised even hardened political analysts, most of whom predicted Mr Modi would return to power but with a reduced majority.
His re-election reinforces a global trend of Right-wing populists claiming victory, from the US to Brazil and Italy, with harsh positions on protectionism, immigration and defence.
Mr Modi’s win vindicated what at times was a belligerent campaign, with BJP leaders repeatedly emphasising a vision of India as a Hindu homeland. Party president Amit Shah’s promise to create a national citizen’s registry was criticised as anti-muslim, and he has called for the expulsion of all illegal immigrants except “Buddha [sic], Hindus and Sikhs”.
Mr Modi said of his Congress Party rivals: “They used a fake tag of secularism they thought would wash all sins. Today these people have been completely unmasked.”
Congress, which has ruled India for most of its history since independence in 1947, performed better than its nadir four years ago.
Incomplete results suggest it will win up to 53 seats alone and, with its partners in the United Progressive Alliance, reach around 93.
However, leader Rahul Gandhi faced the humiliation of losing his family seat in Ameethi, Uttar Pradesh. Although the scion of the Gandhi-nehru dynasty won in the second seat he was contesting, the symbolic defeat marred an energetic election campaign in which he appeared to grow into the role of leader.
Mr Gandhi congratulated Mr Modi, saying: “The people are king and they have directed that the BJP and Modi have won this election.”
Congress officials did not return calls by The Daily Telegraph, but there were widespread reports in the Indian media that the party had wildly miscalculated the margin of loss.
As the nation digested the result, questions were being asked about what Mr Modi’s triumphant return to power would mean for a country founded on principles of secularism and diversity.
‘A second term means an ideological victory, even if it is more a personality cult’
Prof Santosh Kumar Rai, of Delhi University, said: “Certainly a second term means an ideological victory, even if it is more a personality cult.
“With a [BJP] majority, a Rightist agenda with all the institutions of the state under its control, the party will be more likely to convert India into a majoritarian state. Law, education and culture will be the major areas expecting paradigm shift.”
The election has been the biggest democratic exercise in world history with an electorate of 900 million, seven phases of polling, seven national parties and dozens more regional parties vying for seats in the parliament.