Prime Minister Narendra Modi
MUMBAI/BENGALURU/NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party was set for a historic victory as India on Thursday counted hundreds of millions of votes from its general election.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was ahead in 342 of 542 seats, broadcaster NDTV said.
The opposition United Progressive Alliance, led by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party, was leading in 88 seats.
(Click reut.rs/2VXBoxz to view a graphic showing live updates of the election results). NALIN KOHLI, NATIONAL SPOKESMAN, BJP, NEW DELHI
“It’s a stamp of approval by voters on the honest and decisive leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the performance and delivery of development by his government and the promise of further consolidation in the future”
SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY, SENIOR MEMBER, BJP (on Twitter)
“I am happy that I was right that economy is not an overpowering factor if Hindutva and anti corruption are the campaign issues. So we escaped incompetent macro economic performance. But if economy collapses then it will become an issue>”
RAHUL VERMA, FELLOW AT CENTRE FOR POLICY RESEARCH, NEW DELHI:
“People have trusted him (Modi) and, despite economic concerns, they are ready to give him another chance,
“And the Congress party has not been able to improve at all. The one big story is the emerging challenge for the Congress to remain a national alternative to the BJP. That now is under question.” SAYAN BANERJEE, RESEARCHER, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX, U.
