Lok Sabha Election 2024: PM Poised for Landmark 3rd Term, Hails it as “Triumph of Largest Democracy

The resurgent Opposition had a strong showing on election day, surpassing the modest expectations set by exit polls. By 11 pm, the BJP was leading on 241 seats, with the NDA ahead on 294.

In contrast, the INDIA bloc was leading on 231 seats, and the Congress on 100. Uttar Pradesh posed a challenge to the BJP, with the INDIA bloc, led by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, leading in 44 of 80 seats, while the BJP was ahead on 32.

The party had previously swept Uttar Pradesh in 2014 and maintained its position in 2019, with exit polls predicting an advantage for the BJP in this state. However, the BJP faced challenges in other battleground states as well.

In West Bengal, the party’s performance was not as strong as in 2019, leading in only 12 seats by 11 pm, while Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress was ahead in 29 seats. Similarly, Maharashtra showed disapproval of the political dynamics, with the Uddhav Thackeray faction leading on 9 seats, and the BJP on 10.

The BJP’s losses were offset by gains in Odisha, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and to some extent, Telangana. Chandrababu Naidu was heading for a significant victory in Andhra Pradesh, leading in 158 of 175 constituencies, while in Odisha, the BJP ended Naveen Patnaik’s 25-year rule with a resounding victory.

Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude for the support received by the NDA and emphasized the historical significance of the achievement. Exit polls had varying predictions, with some foreseeing a 400-plus score for the BJP-led NDA.

However, the Opposition dismissed these conclusions. The Opposition’s offensive against the ruling coalition differed significantly from the lack of cohesiveness observed in 2019.

Despite a shaky start, the narrative on constitutional change and the scrapping of reservation appeared to have an impact.