New Indian Elections Bring Unexpected Results, Challenges for Modi’s Government

In January, more than 100,000 Hindus traveled from all over India to Ayodhya where Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a new Hindu temple built on the ruins of a 16th-century mosque. The mosque was destroyed by Hindu radicals who claimed it was built by Muslim invaders in the birthplace of Lord Ram, one of their main deities. With a grand inauguration, Modi fulfilled one of his oldest electoral promises, presenting it as the Hindu Vatican and appealing to nationalist sentiments to gain more votes.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Modi, had invested billions to build infrastructure around the temple and was surprisingly not the most voted party in the Faizabad district, which includes Ayodhya. Despite this loss and several losses in Uttar Pradesh, Modi’s stronghold, his victory signaled a weakening of his leadership. These elections also marked a shift in Indian politics as the ruling party fell short of a parliamentary majority with only 240 seats, losing 62 compared to the 2019 elections.

Modi will serve a third term as Prime Minister but will have to adopt a more collaborative approach with his partners due to the need for coalition governance. While his victory was reported in the newspapers, it was noted that the results were much closer than expected and that polarization remains an issue in Indian politics. New figures such as Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut and Sarabjit Singh Khalsa have been elected into Parliament. These elections highlight that Modi’s leadership is facing challenges and that he must adapt to these changes if he wants to maintain power.

The Congress Party, the main opposition party led by Rahul Gandhi, also claimed a better result than anticipated with 240 seats. They have not yet conceded defeat but have highlighted polarization in Indian politics. The election results reflect that there is no clear winner or loser in Indian politics at present.

In conclusion, while Modi’s party celebrated his victory in January 2023 with great fanfare