Lok Sabha Election 2024 Results: PM Poised for Historic 3rd Term, Hails as “Victory of Largest Democracy

The resurgent Opposition outperformed modest expectations raised by exit polls, with the BJP leading on 241 seats and the NDA on 294 at 11 pm. However, the INDIA bloc was leading on 231 seats, with the Congress on 100. Uttar Pradesh has played a significant role in shaking up the BJP’s applecart, as the INDIA bloc has moved ahead in 44 out of 80 seats at 7 pm, with the BJP leading on 32. Despite the BJP’s previous success in Uttar Pradesh, most exit polls had predicted an advantage for the party.

Additionally, the BJP’s hope in Bengal has faltered, as it was only leading in 12 seats at 11 pm, while the Trinamool Congress surged ahead in 29 seats. In Maharashtra, the disapproval of political maneuvers by the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party was evident, with the Uddhav Thackeray faction leading on 9 seats and the Sharad Pawar faction ahead on 7. The BJP was leading on 10 seats and the Congress on 13. The BJP’s losses were offset in Odisha, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and to an extent, Telangana.

In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu was heading for a landslide victory, with a clear lead in 158 out of 175 constituencies. The BJP also achieved a resounding victory in Odisha, ending the 25-year run of Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal. Prime Minister Modi tweeted about the historical feat of NDA’s third consecutive win, expressing gratitude to the people for their trust and assuring them of continuing the good work. Three exit polls had predicted a 400-plus score for the BJP-led NDA, which the Opposition dismissed.

The promises met, such as the scrapping of Article 370 and the construction of the Ayodhya Ram temple, were cited as contributing factors to the BJP’s success. Additionally, the Opposition’s offensive against the ruling coalition showed a significant change in approach compared to 2019. Despite a shaky start, the narrative on constitutional change and scrapping of reservation made an impact.