in New Delhi, opponents welcome the low score of Narendra Modi’s party

In the Indian economic capital, opponents of Narendra Modi are celebrating the low score for the Prime Minister’s party, seen as a victory. An atmosphere which contrasts with the disappointment at the headquarters of the majority party, which expected a tidal wave.

In India, a bitter-tasting victory for Narendra Modi in India, who claims a narrow majority on Tuesday June 4, far from the triumph announced by the polls. After six weeks of campaigning and voting, today’s close result surprised many in the political capital New Delhi. The opposition, even in the minority, wants to see it as a sign.

At the headquarters of the Congress Party, the main opposition party, we don’t celebrate a victory but it’s just like that. We are enjoying a score that defied predictions: more than 230 seats, not far from the majority set at 272 in the Indian Parliament. “This is proof that the whole country wants political changeassures Hanish Saini, Congress activist in New Delhi. The BJP has not fulfilled any of these promises in the last ten years, the economy is at its lowest. Beyond that, they governed by spreading hatred in society, between Hindus and Muslims. India took a 25-year leap back under Narendra Modi.”

For Srinivas, whatever the final outcome, the day is historic because it shows Indians moving away from the far-right ideology of Narendra Modi. “First of all, the vote is not over and I still have hope that we will win a majority. But even if we do not win, it is not a defeat. Because it is the truth which progress in these elections, and the truth always wins in the end”he explains.

Not far from there, at the headquarters of the BJP, the party of Narendra Modi, the faces are discomfited. But we insist on the fact that short or large majority, the Prime Minister won. “Narendra Modi said 400 seats, but it was a trap set for the opposition, by setting the bar very high. They focused on this figure, even though we knew well that we would not necessarily obtain it. What matters, at the end of the day, is that we are going to form the government!”

Naline, an activist from Rajasthan, judges that this narrow majority should be a warning: “Indians are satisfied with the development that has taken place under Narendra Modi over the last ten years. But during this campaign we may have put everything on the face of the Prime Minister and chosen our candidates poorly.”

The counting of votes is not yet completely finished and each seat will count for Narendra Modi, in order to obtain a majority in Parliament. To do this, he will have to rely on his coalition, his party already not winning an absolute majority.