New Delhi: As the Lok Sabha election results near completion, the Congress party hailed the outcome as a “political and moral defeat” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose name was central to the BJP’s campaign. Despite the BJP leading in 239 seats, it fell short of a majority on its own, while the BJP-led NDA is close to 300 seats, surpassing the 272 majority mark.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge attributed the results to public dissatisfaction with Modi, emphasizing the party’s focus on issues like inflation and unemployment during their campaign. He highlighted Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as pivotal to their strategy.
Kharge criticized the government for using its machinery against the Congress and stressed that the BJP’s failure to secure a decisive victory indicates a rejection of Modi’s leadership. The INDIA bloc, comprising Congress and its allies, is leading in over 230 seats, contrary to exit polls that predicted a strong BJP majority.