According to the CNN-News18 survey, his BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) party and its allies are expected to obtain at least 355 seats in the lower house of Parliament, far more than the majority set at 272. In the past, these projections have not have not always been reliable.
Victories in 2014 and 2019
Big favorite of the poll, Narendra Modi has already offered his party two landslide victories in 2014 and 2019, thanks to his appeal to the Hindu electorate. In the middle of the electoral process, the opposition accused him of stigmatizing Muslims and fueling interreligious tensions.
He himself said he was very optimistic about the outcome of the election: “I can say with confidence that the people of India voted in record numbers to re-elect the government.” He said voters “saw our record and how our work has changed the lives of the poor, the marginalized and the disenfranchised.”
45° in the shade and ten deaths
The temperature had reached 45°C during the day, a temperature already exceeded in many cities in recent days and which would explain a lower participation rate compared to 2019. In the state of Bihar, ten electoral agents died on Thursday , as they set up polling stations.
According to political analyst Ramu Manivannan, the exit polls point to a new victory for the prime minister but its extent still remains uncertain: “Small errors (on the projections) can make big differences” on the result.
The image of Narendra Modi has also been reinforced in his country by the growing influence of India, which will become the fifth largest economy in the world in 2022.
