Riding on a massive saffron surge sweeping through most parts of India, the BJP-led NDA government looks set to become the only non-Congress government to return to power in the Indian political history. After Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, Narendra Modi is the third prime minister of the country who has been able to retain power for a second term with full majority in Lok Sabha.
As predicted in exit polls, BJP has made handsome gains in West Bengal and has managed to thwart the threats from BSP-SP Mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh. The saffron wave not only swept through the Hindi heartland and Gujarat, but also rippled through West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Only Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh appeared untouched. Even in Telangana, the BJP was ahead in four seats, the same as the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
All India figures based on leads
Parties | Leads | Win | Total |
BJP+ | 337 | 5 | 342 |
Cong+ | 98 | – | 100 |
Others | 102 | – |
BJP has even bettered its show this time as its vote share in several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana, was well over 50 per cent, nothing short of a statistical wonder in Indian electoral history.