India's opposition Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi today declared victory in historic elections, and promised: “Good days are coming.”
Early results show his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) driving out the ruling Congress Party in the country’s most commanding election win for more than a quarter of a century.
The BJP is on course to land at least 272 out of 534 seats in the Lok Sabha — lower house of parliament — the majority needed to create a government without forming a coalition.
Mr Modi tweeted: “India has won. Good days are coming.” Congress, which has been in government for all but 10 years since independence, conceded defeat. “We are accepting the people’s verdict in all humility,” spokesman Shakil Ahmed said.
TV channels showed Mr Modi meeting his 90-year-old mother Hiraben and touching her feet to seek her blessing. She marks his forehead with vermilion and feeds him sweets. At BJP headquarters in New Delhi, activists set off firecrackers and danced.
Mr Modi, 63, is tainted by accusations that he encouraged or turned a blind eye to Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002 in Gujarat, the state he has
governed for 13 years. More than 1,000 died. He denies the charge. The BJP ran a slick campaign, promising to boost the economy and tackle the corruption which has plagued Congress’s time in office. Mr Modi set out an image of a no-nonsense, can-do leader
Derided by opponents as a “chai-wala” or teaboy, he contrasted his humble origins with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, painting him as a “feudal prince” from a family that views ruling India as its birthright.
In a record turnout, 551 million out 814 million eligible voters cast ballots in stages over six weeks.
