India’s General Election
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Needing Help to Stay in Power, Modi Loses His Aura of Invincibility While Narendra Modi appeared to secure a third term as India’s leader, the election was closer than expected, forcing him to rely on coalition partners that don’t share his Hindu nationalist agenda.
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India’s Modi Thanks Supporters After Winning Third Term 1:03 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party narrowly won India’s general election, making him the second ever leader in India to secure a third term. By Mujib Mashal, Alex Travelli, Hari Kumar, Suhasini Raj, Sameer Yasir and Pragati K.B. Photographs by Atul Loke Reporting from New Delhi, Bengaluru and Varanasi June 4, 2024Updated 5:04 p.m. ET Suddenly, the aura of invincibility around Narendra Modi has been shattered. In an Indian election in which his party’s slogan had promised a landslide victory and Mr. Modi even repeatedly referred to himself as sent by God, the results announced on Tuesday were unexpectedly sobering. Mr. Modi, 73, appeared to secure a third consecutive term as prime minister, a feat that only one other Indian leader has accomplished, and his Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., gained far more seats than any other party. But instead of a runaway win, the B.J.P. lost dozens of seats. It now finds itself at the mercy of coalition partners — including one politician notorious for how often he has switched sides — to stay in power, a sharp reversal a decade into Mr. Modi’s transformational tenure. As the results came into view, the country’s stock markets plunged. Opposition parties, newly unified in what they had called an effort to save the country’s democracy, rejoiced. And India, while extending Mr. Modi’s firm hold on power, learned that there are limits to his political potency, even as he made the election, usually fought seat by seat, squarely about himself. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Mr. Modi took a more positive view in a statement on X declaring that his coalition had won a third term. “This is a historical feat in India’s history,” he said. Image Supporters of the Congress Party, the main opposition party, watched election returns at party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like. Mujib Mashal is the South Asia bureau chief for The Times, helping to lead coverage of India and the diverse region around it, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. More about Mujib Mashal Alex Travelli is a correspondent for The Times based in New Delhi, covering business and economic matters in India and the rest of South Asia. He previously worked as an editor and correspondent for The Economist. More about Alex Travelli Hari Kumar covers India, based out of New Delhi. He has been a journalist for more than two decades. More about Hari Kumar Suhasini Raj is a reporter based in New Delhi who has covered India for The Times since 2014. More about Suhasini Raj Sameer Yasir covers news from India and other countries in the region. He is based in New Delhi. More about Sameer Yasir Pragati K.B. is a reporter based in New Delhi, covering news from across India. More about Pragati K.B. See more on: Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi Read 72 Comments Share full article 72 Read in app Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Comments 72Needing Help to Stay in Power, Modi Loses His Aura of InvincibilitySkip to Comments Share your thoughts. The Times needs your voice. We welcome your on-topic commentary, criticism and expertise. Comments are moderated for civility.
India’s Modi Thanks Supporters After Winning Third Term
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party narrowly won India’s general election, making him the second ever leader in India to secure a third term. By Mujib Mashal, Alex Travelli, Hari Kumar, Suhasini Raj, Sameer Yasir and Pragati K.B.
Photographs by Atul Loke
Reporting from New Delhi, Bengaluru and Varanasi
June 4, 2024Updated 5:04 p.m. ET
Suddenly, the aura of invincibility around Narendra Modi has been shattered.
In an Indian election in which his party’s slogan had promised a landslide victory and Mr. Modi even repeatedly referred to himself as sent by God, the results announced on Tuesday were unexpectedly sobering.
Mr. Modi, 73, appeared to secure a third consecutive term as prime minister, a feat that only one other Indian leader has accomplished, and his Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., gained far more seats than any other party.
But instead of a runaway win, the B.J.P. lost dozens of seats. It now finds itself at the mercy of coalition partners — including one politician notorious for how often he has switched sides — to stay in power, a sharp reversal a decade into Mr. Modi’s transformational tenure.
As the results came into view, the country’s stock markets plunged. Opposition parties, newly unified in what they had called an effort to save the country’s democracy, rejoiced. And India, while extending Mr. Modi’s firm hold on power, learned that there are limits to his political potency, even as he made the election, usually fought seat by seat, squarely about himself.
Mr. Modi took a more positive view in a statement on X declaring that his coalition had won a third term. “This is a historical feat in India’s history,” he said.
Image
Supporters of the Congress Party, the main opposition party, watched election returns at party headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like.
Mujib Mashal is the South Asia bureau chief for The Times, helping to lead coverage of India and the diverse region around it, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. More about Mujib Mashal
Alex Travelli is a correspondent for The Times based in New Delhi, covering business and economic matters in India and the rest of South Asia. He previously worked as an editor and correspondent for The Economist. More about Alex Travelli
Hari Kumar covers India, based out of New Delhi. He has been a journalist for more than two decades. More about Hari Kumar
Suhasini Raj is a reporter based in New Delhi who has covered India for The Times since 2014. More about Suhasini Raj
Sameer Yasir covers news from India and other countries in the region. He is based in New Delhi. More about Sameer Yasir
Pragati K.B. is a reporter based in New Delhi, covering news from across India. More about Pragati K.B.
See more on: Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi
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Comments 72Needing Help to Stay in Power, Modi Loses His Aura of InvincibilitySkip to Comments Share your thoughts. The Times needs your voice. We welcome your on-topic commentary, criticism and expertise. Comments are moderated for civility.
