Former Pakistani Ambassador Applauds the Magnitude of Indian Elections
News Mania Desk/ Agnibeena Ghosh/7th June 2024
Former Pakistani ambassador, journalist, and academic Husain Haqqani recently lauded the sheer scale and efficiency of Indian elections. He expressed his admiration for India’s democratic process, noting its vastness and the impressive logistics involved. Haqqani highlighted that the 44-day electoral process encompassed 900 million eligible voters, with 640 million ballots cast, of which half were by women. The election featured a turnout of 67%, facilitated by 1.1 million polling booths and 5.5 million electronic voting machines.
Haqqani shared these thoughts on social media, where he marveled at the remarkable scale of India’s democratic exercise. In an op-ed for The Hill, he also pointed out that the election results were unexpected, even for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite his party’s weakened mandate, Modi will continue to lead the government, relying on coalition partners for support—a new experience for him since he has never headed a coalition government before.
The op-ed further elaborated on the subtle shift in the Indian electorate’s sentiment. Haqqani observed that voters displayed some fatigue towards Modi and the BJP’s overconfidence following their 2019 victory. He remarked on democracy’s ability to correct itself, suggesting that the election results reflect a desire for change. This sentiment was echoed in Pakistan, where media outlets interpreted the outcome as a sign of a shifting political landscape. For example, Dawn stated that India had overcome hate, positioning Modi at the mercy of more inclusive allies. Similarly, Dunya News commented on Modi’s need to depend on coalition partners due to a decrease in support, and Pakistan Observer noted that while Modi’s alliance was headed for a majority, it was not a landslide victory.
Following the election, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously chose Modi as its leader, preparing for the swearing-in ceremony. The day after the results, both the NDA and the opposition alliance, INDIA bloc, held meetings. Prominent NDA figures such as TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and BJP leaders Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and J P Nadda were present. The INDIA bloc, comprising leaders like Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, along with TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee and other opposition figures, vowed to continue their opposition to what they described as Modi’s “fascist” regime.
The BJP secured 240 seats, and with its allies, the NDA reached a total of 293 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The opposition INDIA bloc made significant gains, winning 234 seats. The NDA MPs are scheduled to meet to formally elect Modi as their leader and then approach President Droupadi Murmu to present their letters of support.
