NEW DELHI, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faced a setback in two provincial elections as votes were counted on Tuesday. The elections in the northern state of Haryana and the Himalayan territory of Jammu and Kashmir marked the first test of popularity since Modi's return for a record third term in June, supported by regional parties.
As the results emerged, BJP was trailing in both regions, with Congress leading in Haryana and showing strength in Jammu and Kashmir. In Haryana, BJP was leading in 22 seats, while Congress was ahead in 57 seats. In Jammu and Kashmir, BJP led in 29 seats against Congress and its ally National Conference (NC), which was ahead in 44 seats. Both regions have 90 seats in their legislatures.
This election outcome is not expected to hinder the Modi government's ability to implement federal policies but is seen as a dampener for the BJP ahead of upcoming elections in the politically significant states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, expected in November.
Victory for Congress in these elections would significantly boost its leader, Rahul Gandhi, who has faced criticism for the party's decline since Modi's rise to power in 2014. Gandhi, currently the leader of the opposition in the lower house of parliament, was a prominent figure in the alliance that denied Modi an outright majority in the recent parliamentary elections.
Source: Reuters, 2024-10-08