Election result 2024: Modi eyes third term, INDIA hopes for 2004 repeat

In a first-ever election between the BJP-led NDA and a new grouping of the opposition INDIA, led by the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is eying for a third term and the opposition is hoping for a 2004 repeat — an unpredicted victory.

Counting will begin at 8am culminating the marathon 80-day process of voting. The results of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh assembly election will also be decided on Tuesday — paving the way for the new state governments.

Modi 3.0

If not ‘400 paar’, the exit polls have predicted a massive mandate for the NDA in which the BJP will better its 2019 seat of 303 and the NDA will reach around 360 to 390.

Modi 3.0 will enable Modi to equal Jawaharlal Nehru’s record of three straight electoral victories.

According to an ANI report, the security agencies are already planning for Modi’s swearing-in ceremony which will be scheduled around the weekend.

During the campaigning, Modi said India will see tougher decisions in his third term.

INDIA alleges attempts to influence process

This is the first time that the INDIA bloc contested the election against NDA stitching alliances with regional satraps. The Congress said it is confident of a comfortable win of the INDIA bloc with 295 seats in the election. It had no prime ministerial face to go with but it said the party with the maximum win would become the natural claimant of the position.

The opposition parties in unison rejected the exit poll prediction and alleged use of influence over the counting process. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that Amit Shah spoke with 150 district magistrates and collectors indulging in ‘blatant and brazen’ intimidation.

While the election commission called this a fake narrative, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge penned an open letter to the country’s bureaucracy urging them to not get intimidated by anyone.

“Do not get intimidated by anyone. Do not bow down to any unconstitutional means. Do not be afraid of anyone and discharge your duties, based on merit, on this counting day,” he wrote.

Fate of regional parties

Going by the exit poll prediction, the regional parties are going to be sidelined in this election. AIADMK, BJD, BSP, LDF, YSRCP, BRS, the Left (INDIA alliance) are projected to be weaker in vote share. In West Bengal, BJP is speculated to edge past the Trinamool Congress.

Odisha, Andhra Pradesh Assembly election

Odisha is projected to have a close fight with the BJP in the assembly election. India Today-Axis My India exit poll gave 62-80 seats to both parties in the 147-member assembly.

In Andhra Pradesh, incumbent chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to lose to NDA – an alliance of the Telugu Desam, the BJP and the Jana Sena Party. The NDA could secure 98 to 120 seats of the 175 Assembly seats.