'Shock election setback': How world media reported the 2024 Lok Sabha election results

India reaffirmed its support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with a victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, securing 293 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing party members at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on 4 June, celebrated the NDA’s third consecutive term, noted it as the first such occurrence since 1962 .

Despite predictions favouring a landslide victory for the ruling alliance, the BJP fell short of a majority on its own, signalling reliance on coalition partners to form the government. The closely watched election results on Tuesday surprised global media, as the NDA’s lead narrowed, and the opposition INDIA bloc made significant gains, though insufficient to prevent Modi’s third term.

While congratulatory messages poured in for Modi and the NDA from around the world, global media reactions reflected astonishment at the unexpected outcome of the Lok Sabha elections.

We take a look:

‘The Washington Post’ labeled India’s 2024 Lok Sabha election results as an “unexpected repudiation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership” by Indian voters, terming it a “stunning setback” for Modi and his party. The report highlighted the dent in Modi’s aura of invincibility, marking the first time in years he appeared “vulnerable”.

For the past decade India has been synonymous internationally with its prime minister, Narendra Modi. But as final election results poured in, the electorate appeared to show dissatisfaction with the status quo and placed the serial winner on shaky ground. https://t.co/D6y0auQCWR

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 4, 2024

‘The Guardian’ emphasised the absence of a BJP landslide predicted in polls, describing the outcome as an “unexpected blow” to Modi and his “Hindu nationalist politics”. It noted a shift towards more polarising religious rhetoric during the campaign and the resilience of the Opposition INDIA bloc despite challenges.

Narendra Modi loses aura of invincibility as predicted landslide fails to materialise https://t.co/n64YGOXgsi

— The Guardian (@guardian) June 4, 2024

“… it was clear that the landslide for the BJP predicted in polls had not materialised and instead there had been a pushback against the strongman prime minister and his Hindu nationalist politics in swathes of the country,” The Guardian stated.

‘BBC’ underscored Modi’s anticipated reduced majority, portraying the election as a referendum on his decade-long tenure and signaling a potential upset. The report depicted a somber mood in BJP offices nationwide and acknowledged the fierce campaign by opposition parties, addressing accusations of divisiveness against Modi.

Why India's Modi failed to win outright majority https://t.co/X7QH2PgKR6

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) June 4, 2024

“The BJP and its rivals fought a fierce - at times vitriolic - campaign, with the prime minister denying that he was being divisive when he was accused by rivals of demonising Muslims,” BBC wrote.

‘The New York Times’ remarked on the sudden collapse of Modi’s aura of invincibility, terming the results “unexpectedly sobering” and signaling a sharp reversal in his transformative tenure. Reporters speculated on the implications for Modi’s leadership and the BJP’s future strategies.

While Narendra Modi appeared to secure a third term as India’s leader on Tuesday, the election was closer than expected, forcing him to rely on coalition partners that don’t share his Hindu nationalist agenda. https://t.co/Asj8ebj56X pic.twitter.com/tbVAdqvlJL

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 4, 2024

“For Mr. Modi, a generous reading of the outcome could be that only with his personal push could his party overcome its unpopularity at the local level and scrape by. Or it could be that his carefully cultivated brand has now peaked, and that he can no longer outrun the anti-incumbency sentiment that eventually catches up with almost any politician,” reporters at NYT stated.

‘DW’ cited political analysts, describing the election as a “personal setback” for Modi and presenting the BJP with choices between conciliation and autocracy, which would shape India’s trajectory.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP-led alliance fell short of an expected landslide win in India's general election, dealing him a surprise setback.

Could he struggle to push through major reform measures?https://t.co/1vt6Mv7kd2

— DW News (@dwnews) June 4, 2024

‘The Telegraph’ labelled the results a “surprise loss of majority” for Modi, highlighting the BJP’s unaccustomed vulnerability after a decade of dominance. It noted subdued celebrations at the BJP victory party compared to previous elections.

🇮🇳 Prime minister Narendra Modi’s party fell short of its target for seats in the Indian parliament – but the country’s democracy is the winner https://t.co/1AAFWMs9gK

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 4, 2024

‘CNN’ reported Modi’s declaration of victory but highlighted shock losses for his party, necessitating coalition partnerships for government formation. It discussed BJP’s hopes for a supermajority and its potential impact on constitutional changes.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared victory in the country's mammoth general election, as votes continue to be counted https://t.co/9v8X4tp3lP

— CNN (@CNN) June 4, 2024

“Modi declares victory in election but his party faces shock losses,” CNN reported.

‘AlJazeera’ described Modi’s fate as shaped by allies after a “shock election setback” for BJP, highlighting the dramatic shift in India’s political landscape and the discrepancy between exit polls and ground realities. It spotlighted BJP’s unexpected defeat in Ayodhya .

Indian PM Narendra Modi has won a historic third term in office, but the governing BJP is projected to lose its majority stake in parliament. The party hoped to win more than 400 seats in a 543-member parliament. pic.twitter.com/lImxEi6hjL

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 5, 2024

“The BJP concedes defeat in Faizabad constituency where Modi inaugurated a controversial Hindu temple in January,” wrote Al Jazeera.

‘Newsweek’ depicted Indian opposition’s celebration amid a “shock election setback” for Modi’s BJP, attributing the outcome to a focus on local issues and unity narratives resonating with voters. It highlighted the unexpected scale of BJP’s losses compared to earlier predictions.

“The opposition’s strategy to focus on local issues and build a narrative around unity and justice appears to have resonated with voters,” wrote Newsweek.

“Political analysts had anticipated a huge win for the BJP, with some even predicting 400 plus out of the 543 seats in elections, but the scale of its losses has taken many by surprise.”

Also Read: Which states went the NDA way, which chose INDI alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election?

With inputs from agencies