Narendra Modi: Exit polls suggest BJP leader set for third term as PM
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to win a third consecutive term in office, as per the results of exit polls released by various news agencies. The polls indicate that Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading the race in the general election, with the main opposition Congress party and regional rivals also in contention.
Results of the election, which was conducted over seven phases, are set to be announced on 4 June. The BJP-led coalition, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), appears to be on track to secure the majority needed to form a government, with exit polls suggesting that they could win close to two-thirds of the seats in parliament.
Despite the optimism shown in the exit polls, analysts caution that such predictions have been unreliable in the past. The opposition has accused the BJP of suppressing dissenting voices, a claim that the ruling party denies.
Prime Minister Modi, who has enjoyed widespread popularity, expressed confidence in the electorate’s support for the NDA government, without explicitly referencing the exit polls. The aggregate of six exit polls forecasts significant victories for the NDA, though the accuracy of such surveys remains uncertain.
With a population of 1.4 billion people, India’s election is a monumental undertaking, involving nearly a billion eligible voters. The campaign season was marked by intense political rhetoric, rallies, and controversies, with allegations of electoral malpractice and attempts to manipulate the voting process.
Key issues in the election included the BJP’s promise to build a Ram temple, government welfare programs, and concerns over unemployment and rising prices. The opposition raised alarms over threats to democracy, a factor that may have influenced voter decisions.
As the country awaits the official election results, the political landscape in India is poised for a potentially historic outcome, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership hanging in the balance.