Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Relief for Modi as BJP wins in Gujarat

INDIA’S ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won an election in prime minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat today (18), the vote count showed, but with a reduced margin, which will be a boost for the opposition.

A combined opposition led by the Congress party had mounted a tough challenge in Gujarat, hoping to weaken Modi in his home base by exploiting discontent over a lack of jobs and a national sales tax that hit business.


The BJP was ahead in 101 seats in the 182-member state assembly, results showed.

A party needs 92 seats to rule the state. Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, who formally took over as party president at the weekend, was leading in 79 seats, far better than it had done in the past.

A relieved BJP said Modi's popularity remained intact.

"There is no other leader close," said Shyam Jaju, party vice president.

The mood in the BJP headquarters in New Delhi and in Gujarat’s main city, Ahmedabad, was initially tense as early trends showed a close fight.

But later workers gathered to shout slogans and cheer victory.

Modi's party was also ahead in Himachal Pradesh, the Himalayan state in the north also voting for a new state assembly.

The BJP leader faces a general election in 2019, but before then, the opposition aims to slow down Modi's momentum in state elections, with two more next year.

Businesses across India have been struggling with the poor implementation of a goods and services tax that aims to harmonise an array of state and federal taxes but entangled them in cumbersome procedures.

Modi's shock ban of high-value currency notes in November last year, as part of his fight against corruption, also disrupted small business that forms the bedrock of his support base.

Indian stock markets opened weaker, with the 50-share NSE index down almost two per cent as early trends showed a close contest in Gujarat.

But stocks reversed the losses later - the 50-share NSE index was trading up 0.7 per cent at 0455 GMT.

The partially convertible rupee was trading at 64.32/33 to the dollar versus its previous close of 64.04. The rupee had dropped to a low of 64.74 in early trade.

Almost all pre-vote and exit polls had predicted a comfortable victory, but the polls have often gone wrong in the past.

To ensure his party’s prospects, Modi addressed dozens of rallies during his campaign in Gujarat, performed rituals and even waved from a seaplane on his last day on the campaign trail.

"If they had lost Gujarat, the BJP would have collapsed like a pack of cards," said Congress member Sharmistha Mukherjee.

"This is their citadel, they threw everything at it."

In the Congress party office in Ahmedabad, posters of Rahul Gandhi were being pasted on the wall.

"Rahul Gandhi’s hard work has paid off in the state and it proves that Modi’s governance is not making anyone happy," said a Congress leader, Shaktisinh Gohil.

(Reuters)

More For You

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

Wes Streeting addresses the Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28),joined by Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Vikram Doraiswami

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

WES STREETING spoke of the priority prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government attach to relations with India when he addressed a Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28).

But the secretary of state for health and social care won over the large Indian crowd by paying an unexpected tribute to Rishi Sunak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

Gautam Adani

Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

SRI LANKA’S government started talks with India’s Adani Group to lower the cost of power from two wind power projects the group will build in the island nation’s northern province, the cabinet spokesman said last Tuesday (28).

Sri Lanka has been reviewing the group’s local projects after US authorities in November accused billionaire founder Gautam Adani and other executives of being part of a scheme to pay bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts. Adani has denied the allegations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

Kemi Badenoch delivers speech on January 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

CONSERVATIVE PARTY on Thursday (6) proposed a clampdown on all migrants by tightening citizenship rules and barring social benefit claimants from residency rights.

Kemi Badenoch, who took over from Rishi Sunak in November last year, outlined her first major policy agenda as Tory leader in a move seen as an attempt to win back the support of Conservative voters drawn to the far-right anti-immigrant Reform party.

Keep ReadingShow less
New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices
Sajid Javid

New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices

A NEW independent commission to improve cohesion would engage across all nations and regions of the UK by moving beyond Westminster-centric discussions and include more diverse voices, the director of British Future thinktank has said.

Sunder Katwala said building confidence across different groups will be a priority, as economic pressures and tensions due to Middle East conflict have polarised communities in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

Pakistani zookeeper Mohammad Amir holds the confiscated lion cub at Lahore’s safari zoo last Tuesday (28)

Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

A PAKISTANI YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.

Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in south Asia, and his week-long nuptials in December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.

Keep ReadingShow less