USISPF congratulates NDA on coming to power for the third consecutive time

Washington, June 5 (PTI): A top India-focused US trade and business advocacy group has congratulated the people of India on successfully conducting the general elections and ensuring the ruling NDA’s victory for the third consecutive term.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to form government for the third consecutive time as the BJP-led NDA won a majority in the Lok Sabha though it suffered a crushing defeat in three Hindi-speaking states in the last election which was seen as a referendum on his popularity.

The Election Commission of India has declared the results of 542 out of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, in which the BJP has won 240 seats and the Congress has won 99 seats.

“The Board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) congratulates the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on its historic third consecutive victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha General Elections,” the USISPF said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the USISPF Board extended its heartfelt congratulations to the citizens of India for successfully closing another chapter in the country’s “proud democratic history.”

“The backbone and identity of any democracy are its voters. The vibrancy and resilience of India’s democracy is truly exemplary, reflecting the country’s steadfast commitment to democratic values ​​and principles,” it said.

USISPF said that the global community has watched with deep admiration this historic process in which nearly one billion voters participated in the celebration of democracy and will draw valuable lessons from India’s democratic process.

“Since its inception in 2017, USISPF has been honored to work closely with both governments to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership. We look forward to continuing our work with the Indian government to strengthen the enduring ties between the world’s oldest and largest democracies,” the statement said.

India’s election results are a testament to the unparalleled intelligence of the Indian voter, which continues to amaze pundits and analysts not just in India but across the world. It is a celebration of the vibrancy and resilience of the country’s democracy, said Ronak D Desai, partner at Paul Hastings LLP and leading India practitioner.

He said these results are a strong reminder that the screaming headlines proclaiming the death of democracy in India are still greatly exaggerated.

“India’s elections were free, fair and extraordinary in their scope and size. It was the largest experiment in democracy in human history and represents a great triumph of the democratic principles on which the country was founded,” Desai said.

He said, “Indian voters have woven a story of profound significance into the vast fabric of democracy. Their verdict, delivered through over one million ballot boxes across the country, underlines the enduring strength and sophistication of India’s democratic values. It is a humbling reminder that above any political party or individual, the Indian voter is supreme.”

In a separate statement, the Indian National Overseas Congress said the people of India have clearly rejected the agenda of the BJP, which aims to undermine the Constitution of the country.

“This election result is a resounding vindication of the existing constitutional framework as envisioned and implemented by Nehru and Ambedkar,” said George Abraham, vice president of the US unit of the Indian National Overseas Congress.

The BJP won 240 seats, short of the majority mark of 272 and needs the support of allies in the party-led NDA to form a government, a far cry from the 303 and 282 seats it won in 2019 and 2014 respectively when it won a majority on its own.

With the support of BJP’s key allies N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) – which won 16 and 12 seats in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar respectively – and other alliance partners, the NDA crossed the majority mark and secured around 290 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

The elections also highlighted the resurgence of the main opposition party Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and the unexpected role of the Samajwadi Party under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh.

Opposition Congress won 99 seats against 52 in 2019, eating into BJP’s tally in Rajasthan and Haryana. Congress won over 230 seats. PTI LKJ SZM

(This story is published as part of an auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No edits have been made by ABP Live to the headline or body text.)