India's election.... Modi may not have the landslide victory expected

[butters]

His Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and allied parties appeared to have secured almost 300 of 543 seats in Parliament, early election results showed, which would give them a simple majority. But the BJP may fall short of a majority on its own, with the opposition performing better than expected after exit polls had suggested Modi’s alliance would win by a landslide.

That result would weaken Modi, whose dominance over India has steadily grown since he gained power in 2014, and leave him dependent on forming a coalition to remain in power. Even that could be in doubt, as Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Indian National Congress, left open the possibility that he may try to form a coalition with two parties allied with the BJP that used to be Congress’ partners.

"Some voters betrayed us. They betrayed Indian tradition,” said Ram Shankar Maharaj, a Hindu priest who had traveled to New Delhi to watch the results from his home in the northern city of Ayodhya, where Modi in January presided over the opening of a grand Hindu temple on a contested holy site.

The Ayodhya constituency that includes the temple was among those that the BJP conceded on Tuesday.

“We should have gotten 500 [seats],” Maharaj added. “India will suffer from this. Had they cleared 400, the country would flourish.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...1&cvid=31defb90fcd04be699e5aecb92f85546&ei=76

the open attacks on muslims, who make up more than 200m of the vast population, and increasing hunger, homelessness and unemployment despite the booming economy, sees parallels with western nations: the dominance of a 'national' religion and the increased wealth staying among the top few percent. Hell, Modi's aid for hungry families of a bag of grain per month(?) even comes in a bag plastered with his face. He's almost trumpian in his brand-image consciousness. There's a 'love' for modi among some of the very poor and uneducated, often simply because without those bags of grains they are terrified what would happen.

the new temple was built on the site of a razed 16th century muslim mosque, destroyed by hindu nationalist mobs in '92 and causing the deaths of some 2,000 people, mostly muslim.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the opening of a grand Hindu temple on a contested holy site that has become a symbol of religious tensions in the world’s largest democracy.

The $217 million Ram Mandir honors Lord Ram, the most revered deity in Hinduism, and is transforming Ayodhya, a city of about 3 million people in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, into a tourist hub that officials hope will be a Hindu version of the Vatican.

the new temple is in the Ayodhya constituency, one of the districts modi's BJP were forced to concede. Not quite the expected result for modi there.

of course, India—with the world's largest population—is more than capable of determining its own elections and economy and doesn't require outside interference.

 

[anon199211]

India is not for beginners and casual observers with a different world view. India has better diversity compared to USA when it comes to all cross sections of population getting their due in governance. DEI is ingrained in their constitution and affirmative action existed for 70+ years .

 

[jhenry922]

Canada has to put up with this delusional bunch of scum in India who do all sorts of Despicable things regardless of international law. Like coming to Canada to murder political opponents. Always the sign of a good, upgrade and Justice oriented government.

 

[butters]

Canada has to put up with this delusional bunch of scum in India who do all sorts of Despicable things regardless of international law. Like coming to Canada to murder political opponents. Always the sign of a good, upgrade and Justice oriented government.

would that be the same gov't that flings out trumped-up charges of fraud/bad business dealings against those speaking out against them... right up to the moment those in opposition change their public position to supporting the gov't, when all the charges miraculously are dropped?

 

[MajorRewrite]