Indian voters dealt Prime Minister Narendra Modi a stunning setback, denying the Hindu nationalist leader an outright majority as they expressed discontent over struggles with high unemployment and inflation, and ignored his polarizing religious appeals.
Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is still poised to return for a third term, but will have to rely on allies in his coalition to cross the 272-seat threshold for a majority in the lower house of parliament to form a government. It is the first election since 2014, when Modi won his first term as prime minister, that the BJP hasn’t scored an absolute majority on its own.
Partial results show the BJP is projected to win 240 seats. It won 303 seats in 2019.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.