Modi confident in re-election as early trends show strong lead
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence in the Indian electorate as early counting trends showed his alliance, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), leading with 294 seats out of the 543 up for grabs in the general elections.
Despite the early lead, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not on track to achieve the landslide victory predicted by exit polls, with half of the votes counted showing them at 38.68 per cent. The Congress-led alliance, INDIA, secured 191 seats, defying earlier predictions.
Market trends reacted uncertainly to the results, with Indian stock markets falling nearly 5pc due to the ongoing election process. Modi’s campaign, focused on economic growth and development, faced challenges from a united opposition and lingering issues affecting the rural population.
As the day progresses, more results are expected to clarify the election outcome and the path ahead for India’s next government.