During the national elections in India, the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party is unable to achieve a majority.

Among the main concerns brought up during these general elections were the widening economic divide and constitutional dangers that PM Narendra Modi’s administration has created over the last ten years.

Speaking at a press conference on June 4 following the results announcement was Rahul Gandhi. Congress in picture
In India’s national elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leans to the right, was unable to achieve a majority. On Tuesday, June 4, the results of the seven-phase elections were declared. Out of 543 seats, the ruling BJP has only secured about 240 seats, according to the most recent statistics. This would imply that, in contrast to the past two terms, it would need to rely on its coalition partners to create a government even if it is still the largest party in the Indian parliament.

Roughly 290 seats have been won by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is led by the BJP. This is about 20 seats more than the 272 majority threshold.

The center-left alliance led by the Congress, which was opposing the BJP and NDA in power, hailed the outcome as a moral victory even if it was unable to win a majority. About 230 seats were won by the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance, or simply INDIA. It continues to aspire to unite with other parties to form a government.

With a predicted eight seats, three more than the last election, the left parties that were a part of the INDIA alliance also boosted their representation in the parliament.

Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, expressed his dissatisfaction with the BJP’s efforts to demolish the Indian constitution in a press conference. The Congressman described it as a setback for the politics of the BJP.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, stated that “there is a greater scope for popular resistance” now, and that the results of the election would ensure that the one-party “dictatorial” rule, atrocities against religious minorities, and the assault on India’s secular values and institutions will not go unchallenged.

India hosted seven stages of elections from April 19 to June 1. In these elections, over 60% of eligible voters cast ballots.

triumph over the politics of divisiveness and hatred
The center-left opposition parties had criticised the right-wing BJP of using a religiously charged agenda to contest the election and demonise minorities, particularly Muslims, in an attempt to polarise the populace along religious lines. Leaders of the opposition have said that the current results demonstrate how the center-left coalition was able to resist this decisive agenda by emphasising themes of social justice and the general public’s economic well-being.

In the most recent 2019 elections, the BJP secured about 303 seats on its own and almost 350 seats with the help of its partners. With fewer than 100 seats, the Congress and other major parties were completely destroyed.

The opposition has been arguing that the BJP central government’s amendments to the laws and constitution since taking office in 2014 pose a threat to India’s core values of tolerance and diversity. Additionally, the BJP is alleged to have threatened the opposition and initiated a systematic persecution of the nation’s dissident voices. Many opposition leaders and activists have been incarcerated for years; others have not even had formal charges brought against them or a trial. The INDIA coalition accused the BJP of attempting to undermine the pluralist principles of the Indian constitution, making the country’s shrinking democratic space one of the main election themes.

The opposition also emphasised rising inequality, rising costs, and worsening economic conditions for the bulk of the population, including increased unemployment among the nation’s educated youth.

The final results should be available by Tuesday night.