Modi claims victory in Indian elections, yet his party experiences surprise losses in parliament, necessitating a coalition.
"What a magnificent day... National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will be forming the government for the third time, and we're thankful to the people," Modi declared to his elated supporters gathered at his party's headquarters in New Delhi. He was referring to the initials of his political coalition. "This is a victory for the world's largest democracy," he continued.
Based on estimates from the election board, Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may not achieve the 272 seats needed for an absolute majority in the parliament, marking an unexpected turn that necessitates the aid of long-standing coalition partners to form a government.
Modi, despite the setback, is poised to create a government alongside his NDA companions and complete a third consecutive term. This feat ranks him among India's most influential politicians.
However, these election results may serve as a personal defeat for Modi, who had confidently pledged to secure 400 seats in this year's election and had overwhelmingly triumphed in the last two contests, transforming his Hindu nationalist right-wing party into a formidable electoral machine.
Opposition leaders, who were virtually written off in the polls and by a multitude of experts, interpreted the outcome as a rejection of Modi's divisive manner.
Rahul Gandhi, leader of the National Congress, claimed the "country has collectively and unequivocally" denounced Modi and his party from governing the country. "We didn't enjoy the way they managed this nation for the past decade, and that's a noteworthy message for Mr. Narendra Modi," he added while standing outside Congress's headquarters in New Delhi.
Congress led an alliance of opposition parties that attempted to dislodge Modi, 73. Although they may have fallen short of their objective, they managed to undermine Modi's previous reputation of electoral infallibility.
Preliminary numbers indicate Congress could potentially double the number of seats they won in 2019. The poll board's preliminary figures currently place the BJP's alliance at around 300 seats against 230 for the opposition alliances.
The election authorities are still tallying the votes, and final results are expected in the near future.
This is a developing news story and will be updated.
CNN contributors Esha Mitra, Manveena Suri, Sania Farooqui, Jerome Taylor, and Alex Stambaugh contributed to this report.
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In the context of Modi's election victory, he stated, "This is a victory for the world's largest democracy." Later, despite not reaching an absolute majority, Modi's BJP was expected to form a coalition government with partners in India, demonstrating the party's continued influence on the national stage.
