Thursday 25 / April / 2024
New Delhi: World leaders congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a landslide election he called the “biggest event in world democracy”.
“Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again!,” Modi declared amid nationwide celebrations by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The 68-year-old leader, who built a formidable campaign was showered with petals when he arrived flashing “V” for victory signs at the BJP headquarters where thousands of supporters waited.
US President Donald Trump sent Twitter congratulations on the “BIG” win and added: “Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm.”
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Emmanuel Macron of France and prime ministers Shinzo Abe of Japan and Scott Morrison of Australia were among world leaders to call Modi before the final results were even released, the foreign ministry said.
Official results showed the BJP increased its grip on parliament with 303 out of 543 elected seats — up from 282 in 2014. It is the first time in almost five decades that an Indian premier has been voted back with an increased majority.
“The voting numbers in India’s election is the biggest event in the history of (the) democratic world. The entire world has to recognise the democratic strength of India,” Modi told cheering crowds.
The opposition Congress party won just 52 seats, with Rahul Gandhi — the great-grandson, grandson and son of three premiers — conceding defeat and congratulating Modi.
The Congress tally only improved marginally from its historic low of 44 in 2014 polls.
Gandhi, 48, also lost Amethi, a seat long held by his storied family, to a former television star running for the BJP.
The BJP headquarters in Delhi erupted in celebration with drummers, firecrackers, dancing and singing as thousands of party faithful waited in heavy rain for their leader.
India’s main Sensex index breached the 40,000-point level for the first time as the count pointed to a Modi win, adding to strong gains since Monday.
The vast size of India made the world’s biggest election a marathon six-week endeavour.
The campaign, estimated to have cost more than $7 billion, was awash with insults as well as fake news in Facebook and WhatsApp’s biggest markets.
Gandhi tried to attack Modi over a French defence deal and unemployment.
But Modi deftly turned the election into a referendum on his rule.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday congratulated Modi and said he looked forward to working for “peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia”.
Modi responded in a Twitter message thanking Khan for his “good wishes” and saying he wanted peace in the region.
