After a humbling day of election results in which yet another opposition cut his majority, Narendra Modi is set to become India's prime minister for a third term.
Modi was reinstated as Prime Minister following a meeting with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday. A separate meeting was held in the capital Delhi on Wednesday to discuss further steps. By the end of this week, Narendra Modi will be sworn in for a record-equalling third term.
The BJP unexpectedly had to rely on the NDA's smaller parties after failing to secure the 272-member parliamentary majority required to form the next government. However, the opposition, which won 232 seats - to the NDA's 293 seats - has yet to formally agree.
Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 240 seats, making them the single largest party in India's lower house, the Lok Sabha, following weeks of seven-phase elections. But for the prime minister, it's a significantly lower number: the BJP won 303 seats in 2019, and Modi had said he was aiming for 370 this time. Instead, they had to rely on NDA partners to ensure Modi's third term.
A statement issued by the NDA said that he was "unanimously" elected as their leader at a meeting held at his residence in Delhi, "who was committed to serving the poor, women, youth, farmers and the exploited, denied and oppressed citizens of India". It remains to be seen what concessions its partners will have won from the BJP.
Ahead of the meeting, there was speculation that the more powerful groups might include ministerial positions in return for their support. It is unclear what the next five years will look like. But will Modi be persuaded to accept others' views? This is the first time that Modi is ruling in a coalition where his party has an absolute majority.
“Meanwhile, the opposition Indian coalition is celebrating the result despite not winning. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hailed the "great support our alliance has received" and said voters had sent a message through the election against the BJP's "politics of hate, corruption and deprivation". "This is a mandate to protect the Constitution of India and protect democracy against inflation, unemployment and crony capitalism," said a Congress statement on social media.
Following the NDA's victory announcement, the White House congratulated Mr Modi and said the US looked forward to working with India to ensure a "free and open" Asia. This year's Indian election was the biggest election the world has ever seen. More than 600 million people participated - or 66% of the country's eligible voters. A total of nearly one billion people cast their votes – one in eight of the global population. Polling was interrupted for seven rounds between April 19 and June 1 due to security concerns. Much of the election was held in sweltering and deadly heat as temperatures soared to nearly 50 degrees Celsius in some parts of India.
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