Decoding loksabha verdict…………… BJP-Led NDA Set for Third Consecutive Term, But Faces Surprising Setback

Decoding loksabha verdict……………

BJP-Led NDA Set for Third Consecutive Term, But Faces Surprising Setback

Dharamsala (Arvind Sharma)6/6/24

With support from key allies N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which won 16 and 12 seats in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, respectively, the NDA crossed the halfway markin 2024 Lok Sabha Elections . For the past decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has led a majority government at the Centre, securing major victories in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, heavily centered on/around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-profile ‘Modi ki guarantee’ campaign, saw a significant reduction in BJP’s seat tally, placing considerable pressure on Modi.

Despite this, the BJP-led NDA is poised to form the government at the Centre for the third consecutive term. The BJP won 240 seats with a vote share of 36.56%, falling short of the 272-majority mark and less than the 303 and 282 seats it had won in 2019 and 2014, respectively. The Congress, part of the opposition INDIA bloc, significantly improved its performance, securing 99 seats with a vote share of 21.19%, compared to 52 seats in 2019.

The general election mandate was unexpected. While the BJP did not reach the majority figure of 272, the Congress’s gain of 99 seats, almost double its previous tally, and the INDIA alliance’s surprising win of 232 seats have reshaped the political landscape. Although Narendra Modi is set to take the oath as Prime Minister for the third time, the 2024 mandate underscores that Congress remains a formidable force in Indian politics.

The Samajwadi Party bolstered the INDIA bloc’s morale in Uttar Pradesh with 37 seats, and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) improved its standing in West Bengal, winning 29 seats compared to 22 in 2019. Despite the BJP-NDA coalition achieving a clear majority, the BJP’s failure to secure an outright majority on its own suggests voter dissatisfaction with a decade of BJP-led governance. This result signals to the BJP that voter discontent can significantly impact their future electoral success.

 Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi secured wins in both Wayanad and Rae Bareli in Kerala. Akhilesh Yadav’s SP demonstrated strong leadership with a major victory. While some parties won and others lost, India’s democracy emerged victorious. Another notable outcome was the lack of a sympathy wave for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), as the BJP secured all seven seats in Delhi, and AAP made little impact in Punjab.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections send a clear message: arrogance has no place in Indian politics, and the electorate’s voice is powerful enough to challenge any party’s dominance