Modi Claims Victory in India's Election Despite Party's Setbacks in Parliament, Necessitating Coalition Building

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated victory in the national elections on Tuesday evening. However, early results revealed a surprising outcome that weakened his party's hold on power, falling short of his goal of securing an overwhelming majority.

Addressing his supporters in New Delhi, Modi expressed gratitude to the people, stating, "Today is a glorious day... National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will lead the government for the third time. This victory is a triumph for the world's largest democracy."

Preliminary data from the election commission shows that Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party may not reach the 272 seats required for a majority in parliament. This unexpected outcome means they will need to work with their coalition partners to establish a government.

Despite this setback, Modi is on track to lead a government with support from the NDA allies. This achievement would mark his third consecutive term and cement his status as one of the most accomplished politicians in India since gaining independence.

Modi had hoped to win a 400-seat supermajority in this year's election, but the results were not what he expected. In the previous two contests, he had won with a simple majority for the BJP, making his party a strong force in elections.

The opposition in India, which many had dismissed in polls and by analysts, saw the results as a message against Modi's polarizing approach.

Early election results have shown that the majority of the country does not want Modi and his party to continue running the country, according to Rahul Gandhi, the leader of India's National Congress.

Speaking outside his party's headquarters in New Delhi, Gandhi expressed dissatisfaction with the way Modi and his party have governed the country for the past decade. This, he believes, sends a clear message to Mr. Narendra Modi.

Congress, along with an alliance of opposition parties, attempted to overthrow Modi, 73. Although they appear to have fallen short of their goal, they have managed to diminish his once unshakeable image of electoral dominance.

Initial results indicate that they have also made a dent in BJP seats, even in some of the ruling party's usual strongholds. Congress alone is on track to double the number of seats they secured in 2019.

The election commission's initial count shows that the BJP's alliance is leading with approximately 300 seats, while the opposition alliances have around 230 seats.

Vote counting is still ongoing, and we can expect the final results to be announced in the next few hours.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

CNN’s Esha Mitra, Manveena Suri, Sania Farooqui, Jerome Taylor and Alex Stambaugh contributed to this report.

Editor's P/S:

The outcome of the Indian national elections has surprised many, including Prime Minister Modi, who had hoped for a resounding victory. While Modi's party is still leading, it has fallen short of its goal of securing an overwhelming majority. This unexpected result is a testament to the resilience of the opposition and the dissatisfaction of many voters with Modi's policies.

The loss of seats by the BJP is a sign that Modi's grip on power is not as strong as it once was. The opposition has been able to unite and make significant gains, even in some of the BJP's traditional strongholds. This suggests that Modi's polarizing approach has alienated many voters, and that the country is ready for a change. It remains to be seen whether Modi will be able to form a stable government with the support of his coalition partners, but the results of the election have certainly weakened his position.