[15:09, 7/7/2024] Manpreet Kaur: Following the first round, the BJP won its first seat after
Mukesh
Dalal, its candidate for Surat constituency in Gujarat, was elected unopposed following rejection and
withdrawal of other candidates.[313][314] No voting was held in the constituency, as the ECI had
certified the results two weeks prior due to the absence of rival candidates.[315]
The overall election result was described in several media sources as a "shock" to Narendra Modi,[316]
[317] with the BJP falling short of its expectations of winning 400 seats.[318] Though pre-poll predictions
were for an overwhelming majority for the BJP, the INDIA bloc performed much better than exit polls
had predicted it to,[319] with upset victories in major states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and
West Bengal.[320] The BJP had to rely on the 28 cumulative seats won by the Andhra Pradesh-based
Telugu Desam Party led by Chandrababu Naidu and the Bihar-based Janata Dal (United) led by Nitish
Kumar in order for the NDA to retain its majority in the Lok Sabha.
General elections were held in India from 19 April to 1 June 2024 in seven phases, to elect all 543
members of the Lok Sabha.[a] Votes were counted and the result was declared on 4 June to form the
18th Lok Sabha.[2][3] On 7 June 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed the support of 293 MPs
to Droupadi Murmu, the president of India.[4] This marked Modi's third term as prime minister and his
first time heading a coalition government,[5] with the Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh and Janata
Dal (United) of Bihar emerging as two main allies.
[15:10, 7/7/2024] Manpreet Kaur: The politics of India became increasingly bipolar in the run-up to the
2024 Indian general elections with two major alliances emerging; the incumbent National Democratic
Alliance (NDA) and the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Six parties
recognized as national parties contested the 2024 Indian general elections: the BJP, the INC, Communist
Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), National People's Party (NPP) and Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP) with all except the BSP being a part of one of the two alliances.[52] Apart from the
national parties, regional parties (who are allotted fixed symbols) and other unrecognized parties and
independents contested the election.[53]
