Why India’s election results bring hope, even in defeat

On Saturday, India’s six-week-long elections ended with polls projecting a landslide for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP leaders, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had repeatedly made clear that their goal was to get 400 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha, the lower chamber of the Indian Parliament. But the vote did not turn out so well for them.

On Tuesday, official results showed the BJP managed to win 240 seats, down 63 seats from the 2019 elections and causing the party to fall short of the majority it had retained over the past 10 years. With its allies, it will still be able to form the next government, but the Indian voters have clearly not given it the absolute mandate it wanted.

Courtesy: Al Jazeera