The Indian Prime Minister who put a spacecraft on the moon and is leading a renaissance of Hindu nationalism has just won a major victory in a the world largest election decided by about a billion voters.
Narendra Modi, from BJP party, is predicted by all exit polls to win an unprecedented third term as leader of the world’s most populous country.
The Guardian reported:
“Counting begins at 8am on Tuesday, and results are expected the same day. Vote counting is done simultaneously at counting stations in each of the 543 constituencies around the country.
According to a flurry of exit polls released on Saturday night, Modi and his Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) are looking at a decisive win and may even gain seats to win a two-thirds majority in parliament, which would allow the government to make far-reaching amendments to the constitution.”
A third term will be a historic achievement for Modi. Not since Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first post-independence premier, has a PM won three consecutive terms.
“Modi was widely seen as a frontrunner even before elections began. Over his ten years as prime minister, the cult of personality around him has grown while his power has become deeply entrenched. Several exit polls suggested that the BJP’s dominance would increase further this time, with gains in southern states such as Tamil Nadu and eastern states such as West Bengal, where the party had previously struggled to gain strong support due to regional opposition.”
It’s incredibly ironic to read the Guardian complain about how mainstream media in India is partial. Only in India?
“As campaigning came to a close, Modi – who had appeared at over 200 rallies over the course of campaigning – took himself on a 45-hour meditation retreat at a spiritual site in Tamil Nadu. […] ‘Sources’ told right wing media that the prime minister would be surviving on a liquid-only diet of coconut water and grape juice.”
In India citizens are required to show a voter ID.
Reuters reported:
“Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans a raft of business-friendly measures if he wins a third term this week, including pushing through regulations making it easier to hire and fire workers, according to two government officials familiar with the matter.
As part of an election pledge to transform India into a global manufacturing hub, Modi wants to offer subsidies for domestic production modelled on recent packages for semiconductor firms and electric vehicle makers, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to media.
The premier also plans to reduce import taxes on key inputs for locally-made goods, which have pushed up India’s manufacturing costs, the officials said.”
India is setting itself up as an alternative for global firms shifting their supply chains away from China.
The government plans to increase India’s share of global manufacturing from less than 3 to 5% by 2030 and 10% by 2047.
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