On Friday, April 19, the India general elections kicked off, with Indians set to vote in seven phases over a 6-week period. It is expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will once again lead the country for the next five years.
Modi’s ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is seeking re-election and aiming to secure more seats to strengthen its control over Indian politics.
The elections started at 7 am local time on Friday and are considered the largest democratic exercise globally, with a staggering 968 million eligible voters. The voting will conclude on June 1 and the results will be announced on June 4.
At 73 years old, Modi has the support of the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP. Modi has emphasized welfare schemes benefiting hundreds of millions of Indians and reiterated the slogan “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India), promising to transform India into a developed nation by 2047.
During his campaign, Modi highlighted his success in elevating India’s global standing and infrastructure development, including roads, airports, and other key facilities.
Challenging Modi’s camp are the opposition Indian National Congress and around twenty left-leaning opposition parties who believe that the BJP wields significant financial resources and control over media and law enforcement agencies.
The Indian National Congress-led India National Development Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) accused the Modi government of divisive anti-Muslim rhetoric to appease Hindu voters and manipulating the voting process by arresting opponents.
Two regional political leaders from the opposition, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, were jailed this year on corruption charges.
Modi has refuted allegations of misusing law enforcement and tax agencies to target opponents.
Modi’s main competitor, Member of Parliament candidate Rahul Gandhi, the prominent opposition figure in India, criticized Modi’s ties with billionaires Adani and Ambani and attacked the “election bonds” fundraising scheme. The BJP was the biggest beneficiary of the scheme, which has recently been abolished by the Indian government.
Gandhi’s father, grandmother, and great-grandfather have all served as Prime Ministers in the past. Modi criticized Gandhi for engaging in “dynastic politics” with regional parties in southern and eastern India.
Pre-election polls widely predict Modi’s third victory, with a grand target of securing 400 seats, including 370 for the BJP and an additional 30 seats for NDA allies.
Chietigj Bajpaee, a researcher at the UK-based think tank Chatham House, expressed confidence that Modi and the BJP-led government will secure a third consecutive term.
Bajpaee emphasized that the crucial question lies in how many seats Modi’s alliance can secure, as it will determine the government’s ability to push forward with economic reforms and other contentious agendas.
India ranks among the world’s fastest-growing economies, yet the unemployment rate remains a concern, which the opposition has been using to criticize Modi.
CSDS-Lokniti surveys also point out that unemployment and inflation are two of the most pressing concerns for nearly half of the electorate.
Responsibility Editor: Li Mu’en#