BJP declares 'new era' for India as Congress concedes defeat

Published May 16, 2014
90-year-old Hiraben blesses her son and India's next prime minister Narendra Modi at her home in Gandhinagar, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, Friday, May 16, 2014. — Photo by AP
90-year-old Hiraben blesses her son and India's next prime minister Narendra Modi at her home in Gandhinagar, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, Friday, May 16, 2014. — Photo by AP
An Indian election official opens postal ballots to count votes at a polling station in Hyderabad, India, Friday, May 16, 2014. India's Election Commission said that early results show that the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has won enough seats to form a government on its own. — Photo by  AP
An Indian election official opens postal ballots to count votes at a polling station in Hyderabad, India, Friday, May 16, 2014. India's Election Commission said that early results show that the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has won enough seats to form a government on its own. — Photo by AP

NEW DELHI: India's triumphant Hindu nationalists declared “the start of a new era” in the world's second most-populous nation as the ruling Congress declared defeat in elections that laid bare anger about sickly economic growth and rampant corruption.

Narendra Modi, making his first comments on results day in his constituency of Vadodara in his home state of Gujarat, where thousands chanted his name, told supporters that “good times are coming” as he thanked them for their “love” which propelled him and his Hindu nationalist party to a historic election win.

Preliminary results and media projections at the climax of the marathon six-week election showed the BJP on track for the first parliamentary majority by a single party in 30 years.

The BJP had won 133 seats and was leading in 148 others takin its total tally to 283 seats which is 11 more than the 272 seat required to form a majority government, according to the statistics provided by the Indian election commission website.

The stunning results exceeded all forecasts, as firecrackers exploded at party offices around the country and sweets were handed out in celebrations that began only a few hours after the first figures filtered out.

“This is the beginning of change, a people's revolution and the start of a new era,” senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar told AFP at party headquarters in New Delhi.

The Congress party, the national secular force that has run India for all but 13 years since independence, was set to crash to its worst ever result after a decade in power.

“We accept defeat. We are ready to sit in the opposition,” senior Congress leader and spokesman Rajeev Shukla told reporters at party headquarters in New Delhi.

“Modi promised the moon and stars to the people. People bought that dream,”he added.

Media projections showed the BJP winning more than the 272 seats required for a majority on its own, with victories by its allies taking it easily in excess of 300.

Stock markets, which have risen 5.0 per cent in the past week, surged again.

The benchmark Sensex index jumped more than six per cent on Friday to a record high.

The disastrous showing for Congress is another blow to the scion of the Gandhi dynasty, 43-year-old Rahul, whose first performance as chief campaigner will likely lead to dissent.

The country's most illustrious political family has provided three prime ministers but preliminary results showed Rahul with only a wafer-thin lead in his constituency of Amethi.


Singh calls Modi to congratulate him on election victory


Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Narendra Modi to congratulate him on his party's thumping victory in the country's general election,

Singh's office said in a tweet.

“Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh calls Shri Narendra Modi and congratulated him on his party's victory in the Lok Sabha (parliamentary) elections,” he said on his official Twitter account.

Moreover, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called India's Narendra Modi on Friday to congratulate him on his party's landslide general election win.

A statement from Sharif's office said he spoke to Modi, leader of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to hail the “impressive victory”.

Opinion

Editorial

Punishing evaders
02 May, 2024

Punishing evaders

THE FBR’s decision to block mobile phone connections of more than half a million individuals who did not file...
Engaging Riyadh
Updated 02 May, 2024

Engaging Riyadh

It must be stressed that to pull in maximum foreign investment, a climate of domestic political stability is crucial.
Freedom to question
02 May, 2024

Freedom to question

WITH frequently suspended freedoms, increasing violence and few to speak out for the oppressed, it is unlikely that...
Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.