News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/4th August 2024
Union Home Minister Amit Shah confidently forecasted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will secure victory in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at the inauguration of the Nyay Setu water supply project, Shah assured, “I assure you that let the opposition do whatever it wants to do, in 2029 NDA will come, Modi ji will come. They (opposition) do not know that BJP has won more seats in this election than the number of seats Congress got in three elections.”
Shah emphasized the BJP’s strength and resilience against the opposition’s attempts to destabilize the current government. “These people who want to spread instability, repeatedly say that this government is not going to last. I have come to assure them that not only will the government complete its term but the next government will be of NDA and be ready to sit in the opposition and learn the way of working in the opposition properly,” Shah was quoted by ANI.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured 240 seats, a drop from its 2019 tally of 303. However, the NDA, led by the BJP, managed to form the government at the Centre with support from allies like the Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United). This coalition allowed Narendra Modi to continue serving as Prime Minister for a third consecutive term, a feat unmatched since India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
On the other hand, the opposition alliance, known as the INDIA bloc, posed a formidable challenge to the NDA, securing over 230 seats. The Congress party, a major component of the INDIA bloc, improved its performance by winning 99 seats, a significant increase from its 2019 tally of 52. This marked the Congress party’s best performance in 15 years, surpassing its 2009 achievement of 206 seats.
In Uttar Pradesh, a key battleground state, the BJP saw a decline in its seat count, dropping from 62 seats in 2019 to 33 seats in 2024. Pre-poll allies, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal (Sonelal), contributed to the tally with two and one seats, respectively. This was a notable decrease from the 73 seats the BJP and its allies secured in 2014 and 64 seats in 2019.
Shah’s predictions and assertions highlight the BJP’s confidence in retaining power despite the evolving political landscape and challenges posed by the opposition. His remarks underscore the party’s strategic approach and commitment to maintaining stability and governance in India. The next few years will be crucial as both the NDA and the opposition prepare for the upcoming electoral battles, aiming to sway public opinion and secure their respective positions in the Indian political arena.
