General elections were held in India from 19 April to 1 June, 2024 in seven phases, to elect all 543 members of the Lok Sabha. Votes were counted and the result was declared on 4 June to form the 18th Lok Sabha. The legislative assembly elections in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim were held simultaneously with the general election, along with the by-elections for 25 constituencies in 12 legislative assemblies.[1]
More than 968 million people out of a population of 1.4 billion people were eligible to vote, equivalent to 70 percent of the total population. About 642 million voters participated in the election and 312 million of them were women, making it the highest ever participation by women voters.
This was the largest-ever election, surpassing the previous election, and lasted 44 days, second only to the 1951–52 Indian general election in length.
By any objective measure, this is a huge win for India, it’s vibrant democracy and the solid election machinery, possibly the world’s best, apart from the most efficient (results were officially out in less than 24 hours).
This was and is possibly the stark fact that the Western Media and India’s traditional enemies on the borders can’t quite digest.
Every link and leg of the election played out on schedule and a total lack of violence (bar a few skirmishes in pockets known for violence: e.g. West Bengal) over nearly two months and a 1.4 Bn diverse population!
Even the USA saw deadly force in it’s last Presidential Election with less than 1/3 rd the population of India and a well out-fitted police structure.
The Election Commission of India can take a bow! You made India proud.
Opinion surveys of mainstream media outlets projected a decisive victory for the BJP and its coalition, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, the BJP won just 240 seats, down from the 303 seats it had secured in 2019, and lost its singular majority in the Lok Sabha, whereas the overall NDA secured 293 of the house’s 543 seats. The INDIA coalition outperformed expectations, securing 234 seats, 99 of which were won by the Congress, garnering the party the Official Opposition status for the first time in 10 years.[2]
If any pillar of India’s democracy is to be ashamed, it is the sold out media. Spineless. Soulless. Ass lickers.
India and the world will now watch how Modi navigates a coalition government. Key points being:
- Does he share adequate power with his allies that he depends upon for a majority?
- Does the BJP launch a major “Operation Lotus” to break the opposition and bolster his majority while reducing BJP’s dependence on it’s two key allies, notwithstanding that this same operation lotus has lost the BJP a huge number of votes; even possibly lose it the Maharashtra state government!
- Are some contentious policy agenda (UCC, NRC, One Poll, anti-Corruption [against opponents], etc.) going to be put on the back burner for this term?
- How does economic and fiscal policy change?
- Will India’s western “allies” finally let go of covert opposition and take the QUAD and “Strategic Alliances” full steam forward, since China is waiting for nothing.
- Does a strong second rung leadership now emerge in the BJP to succeed Modi?
- Is the rift with the RSS, the real backbone of the BJP, widen or reduce?
- Will long delayed reforms in the Judiciary, Land, Police, Water sharing, State Boundaries, Political Funding, Internal democracy in political parties, effective Theatre Commands in the armed forces, etc. be carried out? Or put on the back burner?
- Reforms in taxation (personal, corporate and GST)?
- Open imports up and allow a freely convertible INR?
- Poor housing covering 100%
- Full employment.
The list of reforms needed is long and the above is just the list of hot topics as of now. Like Modi says, it’ll take till 2047 for India to become an advanced country. But it’ll be interesting to watch if these 5-years are a brake or not on the progress. That is the bottom line.
@jsvasan on X
07-June – 2024
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[1], 2 Source: Wikipedia