Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared victory Tuesday, but it was not the landslide victory his party was expecting.
Still, Modi declared that Indian voters had “shown immense faith” both in his party and his National Democratic Alliance coalition after he locked down a rare third term as leader of the world’s most populous country.
“This is a victory for the world’s biggest democracy,” Modi told the crowd at his party’s headquarters.
According to Morning Consult, Modi is by far the world’s most popular leader, with an approval rating of 74%.
But critics say Modi has also subdued human rights in India and stoked religious tensions, particularly against India’s Muslim minority.
According to the Associated Press, Modi’s party won 240 seats with the opposition performing better than expected after exit polls suggested Modi’s party was getting a landslide victory.
Modi and other BJP candidates were accused of hate speech and other inflammatory rhetoric during the campaign.
India is also struggling to provide enough jobs for its 1.4 billion people, despite being the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
Speaking across from BJP headquarters Tuesday night, Modi said his alliance was poised to form a government. His supporters were very happy with the victory, but some were worried about the party cleaing less than 400 seats.
Congress, the main opposition party, weree also celebrating.
“This is the people’s victory, and democracy’s victory,” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge told a news conference.
India’s election is considered the world’s largest, with nearly a billion registered voters and polling that spanned over six weeks.
Voting has taken place amid unusually high temperatures that have exceeded 120 degrees in New Delhi, the capital, and experts say that may have depressed turnout. At least 33 people in three states died of suspected heat stroke just on Friday, Reuters reported, including election officials ,who were on duty.
