New Delhi, Jun 4: Narendra Modi is set to return as India’s Prime Minister for a historic third term, albeit with a narrower-than-expected victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Despite being one of the most powerful leaders in decades, Modi’s BJP fell short of securing a majority for the first time.
The BJP-led NDA secured 293 seats, with Modi’s return to power now hinging on support from smaller allies, notably Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and Nitish Kumar’s JD(U). Both Naidu and Kumar, once fierce critics of Modi’s policies, have become crucial allies. Kumar, who initially spearheaded the INDIA bloc’s formation before switching sides, and Naidu, who allied with the BJP just days before the elections, are now pivotal to Modi’s coalition.
Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena (S) with seven seats and Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV) with five seats are also essential allies for the BJP’s stability over the next five years. Given the weaker mandate, the BJP will need to accommodate these allies, potentially resulting in significant shifts within the Modi government.
The BJP secured 240 seats, falling 32 short of the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha and 63 seats down from its 2019 tally of 303 seats. The party’s vote share also dropped from 37.7% in 2019 to 36.56% in 2024.
On the other hand, the Congress gained 99 seats, a significant increase from its 2019 tally of 52 seats. Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party also saw a rise, winning 37 seats compared to just five in 2019.
One of the biggest surprises for the BJP came from Uttar Pradesh, a state it currently governs. The SP-Congress alliance won 43 seats, while the BJP was reduced to 33, losing even the symbolic Faizabad (Ayodhya) seat.
In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee’s TMC improved its tally from 22 to 29 seats, reducing the BJP from 18 to 12 seats. Maharashtra saw the Congress and its MVA allies, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SCP), win 13, 9, and 8 seats, respectively, while the BJP was reduced to 9 seats. Its ally, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), secured 7 seats, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP managed only one seat.
The BJP also faced setbacks in Rajasthan and Haryana. In Rajasthan, it retained only 14 out of 25 seats, with the Congress and allies taking 11. In Haryana, the Congress won 5 out of 10 seats, with the BJP securing the remaining 5, down from all 10 in 2019. The BJP also saw losses in Bihar and Karnataka.
However, there were positives for the BJP in Odisha and Kerala. In Odisha, the BJP won 20 out of 21 seats, with the Congress taking one. The party also ended Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year rule by winning the simultaneous assembly elections. In Kerala, the BJP won the Thrissur seat, marking its first victory in the state, though it failed to secure any seats in Tamil Nadu.
