Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to make history by taking the oath for a third term on Saturday (June 8, 2024), becoming the first leader since Jawaharlal Nehru to achieve this milestone. This historic event comes as Modi met with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan to resign from his current post and formally stake his claim to form the government.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured 282 seats in 2014 and 303 seats in 2019, won 240 seats in the recent elections, falling 32 seats short of the 272-majority mark. The BJP will now rely on the 53 seats won by its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners to secure a third term.
Prime Minister Modi retained his Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, narrowly defeating Congress' Ajay Rai by less than 1.5 lakh votes, marking his third consecutive victory from the temple town.
Earlier today, Modi chaired a final meeting of the Union Cabinet, following which he confirmed the NDA's intent to form the government for a third time. Describing the election results as a "victory of the world's largest democracy," Modi underscored the significance of this mandate.
Despite an ambitious target of 370 seats, the BJP faced a formidable challenge from the opposition, led by the Congress-led INDIA bloc, which secured 232 seats. The opposition's strong performance in key states significantly reduced the BJP's margin.
Nevertheless, the BJP maintained its status as the single-largest party, buoyed by strong performances in states like Odisha (20 of 21 seats), Andhra Pradesh (21 of 25), Madhya Pradesh (29 of 29), and Bihar (30 of 40). The party also made notable gains in the south, winning its first-ever Lok Sabha seat in Kerala and doubling its tally in Telangana to eight seats, though it finished with zero seats in Tamil Nadu.
Addressing supporters at the BJP's Delhi headquarters on Tuesday, Modi expressed gratitude for the public's trust in the NDA. "I bow to the people for this affection and assure them we will continue the good work done in the last decade to keep fulfilling aspirations," he said.
Following the Lok Sabha poll results, the Union Cabinet recommended the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, whose term ends on June 16. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on June 8, with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal-United (JDU) expected to submit formal letters of support to the BJP.
The Election Commission of India has declared results for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the BJP winning 240 seats and the Congress 99. This marked a decline from the BJP's 2019 tally of 303 and its 2014 count of 282, while the Congress showed significant growth, increasing its seats from 52 in 2019 and 44 in 2014 to 99.
Prime Minister Modi, acknowledging the coalition's necessity, thanked the people for their mandate. He emphasized that the NDA's formation of the government for a third term is a testament to the country's democratic resolve and the people's faith in the constitution. "This is the victory of the world's largest democracy, it is a victory of strong faith in India's Constitution, it is the victory of the resolve of Viksit Bharat. It is the victory of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas'," he said.
NDA leaders are scheduled to meet at Prime Minister Modi's residence, while the opposition INDIA bloc will also convene under Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to strategize their next moves.
As Modi prepares to take his third oath of office, the nation watches closely, marking the beginning of another significant chapter in India's political history.
