NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confidently declared that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already secured a majority in the parliamentary elections, which are set to conclude next week. This positions him to return to office for a third term.
In an interview with The Economic Times published on May 23, Modi stated that the BJP will achieve a “historic mandate” in the elections. He indicated that there is a “clear signal from the people on the ground” that the party has surpassed the majority mark by winning 272 out of 543 seats in the Lower House of Parliament.
India’s six-week election period is scheduled to end on June 1, with results to be announced on June 4. Modi predicted that the BJP and its allies would secure over 400 seats in Parliament, an increase from the approximately 350 seats they held after the 2019 elections. In the previous elections, the BJP alone won 303 seats.
Modi highlighted significant gains made by the BJP in the southern and eastern regions of the country. “This time, we will vastly improve our performance in states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, and Odisha,” he said.
Despite Modi’s optimism, the BJP faces a formidable opposition alliance comprising more than 20 groups, all aiming to unseat him and the BJP. Opposition leaders such as Akhilesh Yadav, head of a regional party in Uttar Pradesh, and Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi, have expressed confidence that the BJP will not achieve a majority in these elections.
Addressing recent volatility in Indian financial markets, triggered by uncertainties regarding the BJP’s electoral support, Modi asserted in the Economic Times interview that his government had implemented “maximum reforms and managed the economy with fiscal prudence.” He added, “I can say with confidence that on June 4, as BJP hits record numbers, the stock market will also hit new record highs.”
As the election approaches its conclusion, all eyes are on the results to see if Modi’s predictions hold true and whether the BJP will indeed secure the historic mandate he anticipates.