Heads of state are sending their best wishes as the prime minister looks poised to rely on his party’s allies to secure his leadership
Supporters of Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister and leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) carry his portrait as they celebrate outside the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on June 4, 2024, after counting began for India’s general election. © Money SHARMA / AFP
World leaders have offered their congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he looks set to return for a third consecutive term following the close election win of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance over a rival bloc.
Notably, India’s President Droupadi Murmu accepted Modi’s resignation on Wednesday and requested that he continue in his role until the new government is sworn in, according to her office.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said on X that he looks forward to “working together to advance our shared interests.” Ties between India and the Maldives had been frosty ever since Muizzu, who is seen as pivoting toward Beijing, took over. The ‘pro-China’ leader, as he is seen in New Delhi, recently ordered India to withdraw all troops, including military personnel who had been tasked with handling aviation platforms which had been donated to the nation.
The leaders of Nepal and Sri Lanka also congratulated Modi.
Tshering Tobgay, the Prime Minister of neighboring Bhutan, also congratulated Modi and said he looked forward to working with him to further boost bilateral relations. The two leaders had met earlier this year in Thimphu, the capital of the Himalayan kingdom, and announced several energy projects encompassing hydropower, solar, and green hydrogen, with Indian entities serving as strategic partners.
Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi, and the BJP and BJP-led NDA, on the success in the 2024 Indian General Election, for the third consecutive term.I look forward to working together to advance our shared interests in pursuit of shared prosperity and stability for…
— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) June 4, 2024
Among European leaders, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was quick to congratulate Modi in an X post, saying that both countries would continue to work together to “strengthen the friendship.” Modi responded, saying that his government was “committed to deepening India-Italy strategic partnership.”
Congratulazioni a @narendramodi per la nuova vittoria elettorale e i miei auguri più affettuosi di buon lavoro. Certa che continueremo a lavorare insieme per rafforzare l'amicizia che unisce Italia e India e consolidare la cooperazione sui diversi temi che ci legano, per il… pic.twitter.com/v5XJAqkwOz
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 4, 2024
A US State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday that it expects continued close ties with India, along with discussions on human rights concerns, Reuters reported.
The ruling BJP secured 240 of the Indian legislature’s 543 parliamentary seats. While it fell short of the 272 seats it needed for a majority, it has won 293 seats together with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) bloc partners. The BJP must now depend on its allies in order to be able to form the next government.
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Meanwhile, the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc surpassed expectations, clinching over 200 seats. The results sharply contrasted with exit polls, published moments after the seventh and final phase of voting wrapped up on June 1. The exit polls predicted a landslide victory for the Modi-led alliance.
However, both the NDA and INDIA blocs are holding meetings on Wednesday to strategize for forming the next government. According to NDTV news channel, the INDIA bloc has reached out to at least NDA – The Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh state, led by N. Chandrababu Naidu, and the Janata Dal (United) party in Bihar, led by Nitish Kumar, to seek their support in forming the government.
Rahul Gandhi of the Congress Party, which is spearheading the INDIA alliance, claimed that the results showed that the people had rejected Modi and his policies. Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the Trinamool Congress, another key constituent of INDIA, has called for Modi’s “immediate resignation” as he had “lost credibility.”
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