"It's a red-letter day for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as they have solidified their authority in India's heartland with three impressive victories on Sunday. This tremendous success comes only months ahead of the general election and substantially extends the Bharatiya Janata Party reach in the country. The BJP now dictates the terms in 12 of 28 states in India and shares power in four others, shrinking the hold of Congress classification.
Congress Losing Ground
On the flip side, Congress is left with a mere three states under its control. They managed to secure a victory in Telangana by replacing the KCR government, alongside maintaining hold in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party now covers 58% of India's land and houses 57% of the population, significantly outpacing the Opposition-governed states.
PM Modi's Promising Outlook
"The BJP's 'hat-trick' in state elections guarantees a 'hat-trick' in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls", announced PM Modi, emphasizing the people’s endorsement of the party’s politics of transparency and good governance.
The Bharatiya Janata Party , with their recent state wins, represents nearly half of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The outcome is seen as a blow for Congress, despite its second victory in the South this year. The four states in question comprise over 160 million voters and translate into 82 seats in the parliament.
BJP President's Perspective
"We always said we would win the heartland states," triumphantly stated BJP President JP Nadda. "The results are the outcome of our finest political strategy and work on the ground."
Rise of AAP
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with its governance in Delhi and Punjab, comes forth as a significant third national party. This political shakeup further underscores the swift changes in India's political landscape.
BJP's Evolution
The BJP's expansions have been momentous since the PM Modi-led government first assumed power in 2014. By December 2017, Bharatiya Janata Party or its coalition states encompassed 78% of the land area with 69% of India's population. Among the BJP's impressive achievements in its nine-year political journey has been its growing presence in the North East, an area where the party had minimal footing in 2014. Today, the BJP single-handedly rules three states in this region and shares power in three others, emphasizing their widespread influence.
PM Modi's Message
PM Modi passionately conveyed: "For me, four castes are important - nari shakti (women empowerment), yuva shakti (youth empowerment), kisaan (farmers) and gareeb parivaar (poor families)". This statement was made in response to efforts to divide the country based on castes during the assembly elections.
Opposition's Struggle
Last but not least, the electoral setback for Congress has seemingly widened the rifts in the Opposition, with many allies criticizing the Congress for their losses. The overall situation makes winning against the strong BJP outfit in 2024 a monumental challenge for the INDIA coalition.
You might also be intersted in - Nitish govt cuts Ram Navami and Rakshabandhan breaks, extends Eid-Bakrid; BJP reacts