Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had anticipated. Far from the pre-election sloganeering that predicted 400 seats out of 543 in India‘s lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed 294, more than the 272 required to form the next government.
The number was significantly lower than the 353 the alliance secured in the 2019 general election. The BJP lost its outright 2019 majority of 303 seats and saw its tally reduced to 241 in 2024.
To form the next government and rule for a third consecutive term, it will need the support of its electoral allies. The Indian National Congress-led opposition on the other hand made massive gains compared to 2019.
Then called the United Progressive Alliance, the opposition had secured 91 seats, including 52 for the Congress. In 2024, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) won 231 seats, which include 99 for the Congress.
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