The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India has advanced in three out of four states in important regional elections held today, signaling a significant lead for Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of general elections scheduled in six months. The states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh in central India, as well as Telangana in the south, voted last month in the final phase of regional elections before the national elections set for May, when Modi seeks to secure a third term.
The BJP was reported to be leading in all three major states, according to voting trends from counting broadcasted by television stations. BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda stated to Reuters, "We have always said that we will win the major states. The results are a product of our better political strategy and our ground work." Modi still enjoys significant popularity after ten years in power, and polls indicate that he will win again next year.
However, an opposition coalition of 28 parties led by the Congress Party poses a new challenge against the BJP. The BJP also faced a setback when it lost the large state of Karnataka in the south to Congress earlier this year. The opposition coalition, called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), was not represented in the state elections, making it a direct competition between the BJP and Congress.
The four states collectively have over 160 million voters and hold 82 seats in the 543-member parliament. Modi and Congress leaders, led by Rahul Gandhi, campaigned in the states and spoke at election rallies, promising cash payments, agricultural loan waivers, subsidies, insurance coverage, and other incentives to attract voters.
Politicians and analysts argue that state elections do not always affect the outcomes of general elections or accurately reflect voter opinions on a national level. Previously, the results of the last round of state elections before national elections have been misleading.
