NEW DELHI — India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was on track Thursday to win a key state election that will cement its position in national politics and offer a ringing endorsement of Modi’s vision to guide India toward becoming a Hindu country and away from its secular founding principles.
In the battleground state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP was ahead in nearly 250 seats out of 403, far more than needed for a majority, according to results by the Election Commission. The northern state is the country’s most populous and considered a political bellwether. It sends more legislators to Parliament than any other state and was key to Modi’s thumping victories in previous national elections. The final results are set to be available by late evening.
With its thumping victory in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP showed it retains the popular support to overcome criticism of its stewardship of the economy, which has stalled amid soaring unemployment and inflation, and of its response to covid-19, which devastated the state. Now, these results make Modi’s BJP the favorite to win the next national election in 2024.
The results from the state indicate a “triumph” for the BJP, said Nalin Mehta, author of “The New BJP,” a recent book on the party and Modi. The party’s model of welfare — direct benefits transfers and providing free food grains to people during the pandemic — helped it “overcome the stresses of anti-incumbency and deep economic deprivation along with an unapologetic positioning of Hindu-ness,” Mehta said. “The broad social coalition across caste and class that powered BJP’s victories since 2014 has not only remained intact, but deepened its roots.”
Yogi Adityanath, the BJP chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a saffron-robed monk with militant views, arrived in the early evening at the party office in Lucknow, the capital, as hundreds of party workers erupted in shouts of “Hail Lord Ram.”
“The BJP has made history in Uttar Pradesh,” thundered Adityanath. “This has been possible because of the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Aside from Uttar Pradesh, elections were held in four other states, three of which were also ruled by the BJP. The party retained majority in the smaller states of Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.
In the agrarian state of Punjab in northern India, a regional party known as the Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, or AAP, seemed poised to win handsomely over the incumbent Indian National Congress. With its victory in Punjab, the AAP, which controls the Delhi capital region, became the first regional party to capture power in more than one state in decades.
The AAP’s growing reach — and the dismal performance of the Congress party — casts doubt over the future of one of India’s most storied political parties and throws into question the Congress party’s status as the BJP’s main opponent at the national level.
Commenting on the party’s performance in Punjab, Raghav Chadha, a leader of the AAP, told New Delhi Television that his party will be the “national and natural replacement” of the Congress party, once steered by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, leaders of India’s independence movement.
The bitterly fought state elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, have been held in staggered phases over more than a month. They were billed as a battle for India’s future, in which voter preferences would either burnish the BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda or challenge what critics call the country’s tilt toward an illiberal democracy.
A recent report by the Swedish V-Dem Institute, which maps the state of democracies in the world, said India was among the top 10 countries sliding into authoritarianism, alongside Brazil and Hungary. The U.S.-based nonprofit Freedom House, which assesses political rights and civil liberties globally, listed India as “partly free” for a second consecutive year in 2022, noting its decline in civil liberties.
But the BJP’s projected win in Uttar Pradesh, experts say, once again reinforces the dominance of the 71-year-old Modi in the country of more than 1.3 billion people for the foreseeable future. Modi in recent years has grown a long white beard, which was seen as an attempt to cast himself as a sage-like figure towering over the country’s contemporary political life.
Politics in Uttar Pradesh has long been dominated by parties catering to various castes. But under Modi, the BJP successfully brought under its umbrella voters from different castes who identify as Hindus first.
Saba Naqvi, a journalist who covers the BJP, said this latest victory will lead the party to continue with its Hindu nationalist agenda and mark the increasing electoral irrelevance of the country’s Muslim minority. “That seems to work for them,” said Naqvi.
The latest victory will likely help the BJP forge ahead with its controversial agenda, such as implementing a citizenship law that excluded Muslims from its ambit and had been pushed to the back burner after nationwide protests. The Indian right-wing hard-liners could also push for their long-standing demands, such as a national civil code, which would override religious laws on matters like marriage and inheritance.
For the BJP, winning Uttar Pradesh comes as a shot in the arm after a string of losses in several state elections, despite its dominance at the national level.
As the incumbent party going into the crucial Uttar Pradesh election, the BJP faced a patchy governance record. Last year, the state was one of the worst-hit when the ferocious delta wave of the coronavirus swept the country and overwhelmed the health infrastructure. Dead bodies floated in the sacred Ganges river and were buried on sandbanks, revealing an enormous toll not always reflected in official figures, experts said.
Successive pandemic-induced lockdowns left millions unemployed, with devastating impacts on India’s poorest, many of whom live in Uttar Pradesh. The year-long protest by farmers against new agriculture laws and rising food prices were other big concerns for citizens.
Though the BJP’s principal opponent in the state — the Samajwadi, or Socialist, party — vastly improved its performance from the previous 2017 election, winning dozens more seats, it was not enough to capture a majority.
Adityanath sought to frame the election as a fight between its Hindu majority and minority Muslim population. Anti-Muslim hate speech ratcheted in the run-up to the election, critics said, and the BJP hoped to benefit from the polarized atmosphere.
His first term was mired in controversy over charges of targeting the state’s Muslims and a crackdown on activists and journalists, the win catapults him onto the national stage as Modi’s probable successor.
When Modi first made a bid for power in 2014, he tempered his Hindu nationalist strongman image, focusing instead on heralding “good days,” but Adityanath has only sharpened his rhetoric while in power. He projects himself as a tough leader, casting his critics, minorities and opponents as criminals that he single-handedly fights.
The BJP’s victory has added to the apprehensions of India’s 200 million Muslims, who make up 14 percent of the country’s population. Many Muslims feel under siege, with a sharp rise in hate speech and attacks on livelihoods and their cultural practices in recent months.
Gerry Shih contributed to this report.
NEW DELHI — India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was on track Thursday to win a key state election that will cement its position in national politics and offer a ringing endorsement of Modi’s vision to guide India toward becoming a Hindu country and away from its secular founding principles.In the battleground state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP was ahead in nearly 250 seats out of 403, far more than needed for a majority, according to results by the Election Commission. The northern state is the country’s most populous and considered a political bellwether. It sends more legislators to Parliament than any other state and was key to Modi’s thumping victories in previous national elections. The final results are set to be available by late evening.With its thumping victory in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP showed it retains the popular support to overcome criticism of its stewardship of the economy, which has stalled amid soaring unemployment and inflation, and of its response to covid-19, which devastated the state. Now, these results make Modi’s BJP the favorite to win the next national election in 2024.Story continues below advertisementThe results from the state indicate a “triumph” for the BJP, said Nalin Mehta, author of “The New BJP,” a recent book on the party and Modi. The party’s model of welfare — direct benefits transfers and providing free food grains to people during the pandemic — helped it “overcome the stresses of anti-incumbency and deep economic deprivation along with an unapologetic positioning of Hindu-ness,” Mehta said. “The broad social coalition across caste and class that powered BJP’s victories since 2014 has not only remained intact, but deepened its roots.”Yogi Adityanath, the BJP chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a saffron-robed monk with militant views, arrived in the early evening at the party office in Lucknow, the capital, as hundreds of party workers erupted in shouts of “Hail Lord Ram.”“The BJP has made history in Uttar Pradesh,” thundered Adityanath. “This has been possible because of the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”Aside from Uttar Pradesh, elections were held in four other states, three of which were also ruled by the BJP. The party retained majority in the smaller states of Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.Story continues below advertisementIn the agrarian state of Punjab in northern India, a regional party known as the Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, or AAP, seemed poised to win handsomely over the incumbent Indian National Congress. With its victory in Punjab, the AAP, which controls the Delhi capital region, became the first regional party to capture power in more than one state in decades.The AAP’s growing reach — and the dismal performance of the Congress party — casts doubt over the future of one of India’s most storied political parties and throws into question the Congress party’s status as the BJP’s main opponent at the national level.Commenting on the party’s performance in Punjab, Raghav Chadha, a leader of the AAP, told New Delhi Television that his party will be the “national and natural replacement” of the Congress party, once steered by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, leaders of India’s independence movement.Story continues below advertisementThe bitterly fought state elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, have been held in staggered phases over more than a month. They were billed as a battle for India’s future, in which voter preferences would either burnish the BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda or challenge what critics call the country’s tilt toward an illiberal democracy.A recent report by the Swedish V-Dem Institute, which maps the state of democracies in the world, said India was among the top 10 countries sliding into authoritarianism, alongside Brazil and Hungary. The U.S.-based nonprofit Freedom House, which assesses political rights and civil liberties globally, listed India as “partly free” for a second consecutive year in 2022, noting its decline in civil liberties.But the BJP’s projected win in Uttar Pradesh, experts say, once again reinforces the dominance of the 71-year-old Modi in the country of more than 1.3 billion people for the foreseeable future. Modi in recent years has grown a long white beard, which was seen as an attempt to cast himself as a sage-like figure towering over the country’s contemporary political life.Story continues below advertisementPolitics in Uttar Pradesh has long been dominated by parties catering to various castes. But under Modi, the BJP successfully brought under its umbrella voters from different castes who identify as Hindus first.Saba Naqvi, a journalist who covers the BJP, said this latest victory will lead the party to continue with its Hindu nationalist agenda and mark the increasing electoral irrelevance of the country’s Muslim minority. “That seems to work for them,” said Naqvi.The latest victory will likely help the BJP forge ahead with its controversial agenda, such as implementing a citizenship law that excluded Muslims from its ambit and had been pushed to the back burner after nationwide protests. The Indian right-wing hard-liners could also push for their long-standing demands, such as a national civil code, which would override religious laws on matters like marriage and inheritance.For the BJP, winning Uttar Pradesh comes as a shot in the arm after a string of losses in several state elections, despite its dominance at the national level.Story continues below advertisementAs the incumbent party going into the crucial Uttar Pradesh election, the BJP faced a patchy governance record. Last year, the state was one of the worst-hit when the ferocious delta wave of the coronavirus swept the country and overwhelmed the health infrastructure. Dead bodies floated in the sacred Ganges river and were buried on sandbanks, revealing an enormous toll not always reflected in official figures, experts said.Successive pandemic-induced lockdowns left millions unemployed, with devastating impacts on India’s poorest, many of whom live in Uttar Pradesh. The year-long protest by farmers against new agriculture laws and rising food prices were other big concerns for citizens.Though the BJP’s principal opponent in the state — the Samajwadi, or Socialist, party — vastly improved its performance from the previous 2017 election, winning dozens more seats, it was not enough to capture a majority.Adityanath sought to frame the election as a fight between its Hindu majority and minority Muslim population. Anti-Muslim hate speech ratcheted in the run-up to the election, critics said, and the BJP hoped to benefit from the polarized atmosphere.Story continues below advertisementHis first term was mired in controversy over charges of targeting the state’s Muslims and a crackdown on activists and journalists, the win catapults him onto the national stage as Modi’s probable successor.When Modi first made a bid for power in 2014, he tempered his Hindu nationalist strongman image, focusing instead on heralding “good days,” but Adityanath has only sharpened his rhetoric while in power. He projects himself as a tough leader, casting his critics, minorities and opponents as criminals that he single-handedly fights.The BJP’s victory has added to the apprehensions of India’s 200 million Muslims, who make up 14 percent of the country’s population. Many Muslims feel under siege, with a sharp rise in hate speech and attacks on livelihoods and their cultural practices in recent months.Gerry Shih contributed to this report.