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Narendra Modi loses aura of invincibility as predicted landslide fails to materialise | Narendra Modi | The Guardian

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Exit polls had projected overwhelming victory for the BJP and an even stronger mandate for India’s strongman India’s elections may return Narendra Modi to power for a third term but Tuesday’s results did not have the flavour of victory for the strongman prime minister. Indeed, as the early counts of the votes began to roll in, it was clear this was going to be one of the most humbling moments for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) in over a decade. The BJP went into this election, which began way back in April, with a confident swagger and the slogan “ab ki baar, 400 paar”, a target to win 400 seats – more than two-thirds of parliament, a feat only achieved once before. Modi’s return to power, with the same if not stronger majority, was referred to by analysts and pundits as almost an inevitability, given the carefully curated cult of personality that has built up around the leader and his centralisation of power over the past decade. As late as this past weekend, exit polls pro

The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, arrives at the party headquarters to deliver a victory speech, in New Delhi on 4 June 2024. A predicted target to win 400 parliamentary seats has now been scaled down to about 240. Photograph: Harish Tyagi/EPA View image in fullscreen The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, arrives at the party headquarters to deliver a victory speech, in New Delhi on 4 June 2024. A predicted target to win 400 parliamentary seats has now been scaled down to about 240. Photograph: Harish Tyagi/EPA Narendra Modi This article is more than 2 years old Analysis Narendra M

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