#BJP performance

[iyemarathichiyenagari1971]

भाजप जिंकलीच कशी ? समजवण्याचा विश्लेषणात्मक प्रयत्न

लोकसभेच्या निवडणुकीवेळी महाराष्ट्रात मोठा पराजय पदरी पडलेली महायुती विधानसभा निवडणुकीत एवढा मोठा महाविजय कसा मिळवू शकली ? एकनाथ शिंदे, देवेंद्र फडणवीस आणि अजित पवार यांच्या नेतृत्वाखालील महायुती लोकसभेसाठी राज्यातील ४८ पैकी ४२-४४ जागा जिंकण्याचा दावा करत होती. प्रत्यक्षात त्याच्या निम्म्या जागाही त्यांना जिंकता आल्या नाहीत. महायुतीच्या या ढिसाळ कामगिरीमुळे केंद्रातील भाजपची सगळी गणितेही बिघडून…

[amelia55]

महाराष्ट्र और झारखंड विधानसभा चुनावों की वोटों की गिनती शनिवार (23 नवंबर) सुबह 8 बजे से जारी है. महाराष्ट्र में सभी 288 सीटों पर एक ही चरण में मतदान हुआ था, जबकि झारखंड में 81 सीटों के लिए दो चरणों में वोटिंग हुई थी. दोनों राज्यों के नतीजे एक साथ घोषित हो रहे हैं. चुनाव परिणामों से पहले, एग्जिट पोल के आंकड़े भी सामने आए हैं. अधिकांश एग्जिट पोल महाराष्ट्र और झारखंड में एनडीए की सरकार बनने की संभावना जता रहे हैं, जबकि कुछ एग्जिट पोल झारखंड में त्रिशंकु विधानसभा और महाराष्ट्र में महाविकास अघाड़ी सरकार की स्थिति भी दिखा रहे हैं।

[townpostin]

Ajoy Kumar Slams MLA Saryu Roy Over Bhuiyadih Neglect

Ex-MP accuses Roy of failing to deliver on civic promises for 5 years Senior Congress leader Dr. Ajoy Kumar has criticized MLA Saryu Roy for neglecting Bhuiyadih residents’ issues. JAMSHEDPUR – Former MP Dr. Ajoy Kumar has lambasted current MLA Saryu Roy for allegedly neglecting the civic issues faced by Bhuiyadih residents over the past five years. In a Friday press statement, Dr. Kumar accused…

[signode-blog]

The Indian Stock Markets and General Elections: Analyzing the Reactions in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019

The Indian stock markets, like their counterparts around the globe, are significantly influenced by political events, with elections being one of the most critical. The general elections in India not only determine the political leadership but also set the tone for economic policies and reforms that can impact investor sentiment and market performance. This article delves into the reactions of…

[indizombie]

When the BJP-led NDA came to power in 1998, the government of India's human resource development minister Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi included 'Priesthood and Ritualism' into school curriculum. During his time, astrology began to be taught instead of science-based astronomy. Learning how to perform the Putrakameshthi Yajna, a (Vedic) ritual to get a male child was also introduced. They are inculcating unfounded beliefs and foolishness into children's minds. Recalling Golwalkar's call for involvement in RSS activities to be essentially devoid of any critical thinking and discernment, once they are in power, they have set about implementing this in children's education. Recently, CBSE has removed several topics from their syllabus. Of these, topics such as democracy and diversity, impact of globalization on agriculture, popular (mass), movements and communalism were removed from the Class 10 syllabus. It is for this kind of school curriculum excisions that the RSS has nurtured one of its offsprings, the 'Shiksha Sanskriti Uttahn Nyas. It has consistently been pressurizing NCERT to remove from textbooks, allusions to 'the former prime minister Manmohan Singh's magnanimous apology for the Sikh riots', and the 'killing of around two thousand Muslims in the 2002 Gujarat riots'. This is their chicanery.

Devanuru Mahadeva, 'RSS: Depth & Breadth'

[incorrectmahabharatquotes]

Hi sorry I have to disagree. I don't know about your state but where I'm from the candidates aren't local people and half the time they are away. One person representing your issues in parliament is a myth 90 percent of the time. The prime minister and his party's decisions have more direct weight in my daily life than my representative's who at the end of the day does what is convenient to his party. This is the sad reality of this country unfortunately. I don't like Congress and Rahul either but he's much lesser of the two evils. The country is at a crisis. We owe it to our non-hindu friends and neighbors to vote with responsibility and not compromise their safety. Let's face facts - Mamata or Kejriwal is not going to win and voting for them or other regional parties will only divide the opposition vote which is exactly how BJP won last time.

I'm SUPER late in answering this ask, sorry. But also actually very timely in the sense that my point was proven in the Lok Sabha elections.

BJP and Congress aren't your only options. They can try to peddle us the lie that they are but that's simply not true. For the most part, politics in this country plays out on a HIGHLY localised scale, which means the gigantic homogeneity of national parties' agendas really doesn't hold up practically. Other parties exist, INDEPENDENT candidates exist(and a few even won, which I'm extremely happy to see).

It was also a very interesting election cycle because even though the BJP did eventually form the majority in the Lok sabha, they had to SCROUNGE for it. Far different from the "400 paar" narrative they were selling. And now we're at the point where we've returned to the norm of having a coalition government. Make no mistake, a one party majority government was an anomaly. The present is still unfolding and we don't know what will happen next but we can see the cracks forming inside the BJP party doors as well. We still have the state elections of several legislative assemblies upcoming so we'll see how the parties perform.

My state(Uttar Pradesh) did a very funny thing in the Lok Sabha elections and is directly responsible for the BJP NOT getting a majority. Which is very interesting since we had to live through a decade of people flattening the politics here to the "cow belt" stuff and basically writing it off entirely. Just goes to show that nothing is written in stone, after all.

My biggest hope is that what this election did is remind people that their vote actually did matter, at the end of the day.

-Mod S, dedicating this one to the anon who loves the quotes but hates our political opinions

[argumate]

Since January 16, priests have been conducting prayers and performing rituals as workers move the idol into the temple’s complex. Senior leaders of the BJP have given numerous television interviews about the events, with Indian news channels running 24/7 coverage about the temple’s festivities.

The ceremony is also expected to be aired abroad in Indian embassies and on huge TV screens in New York’s Times Square.

Ahead of the event, Modi has been fasting and praying in an 11-day ritual steeped in Hindu religious symbolism.

“The Lord has made me an instrument to represent all the people of India during the consecration,” he said in a recorded message on his YouTube channel.

“I seek blessings from all of you,” Modi added.

it's just great that the prime minister of the biggest country in the world is a religious wacko

[hum-rang-hain]

Indian Elections (Part 2)

Part 2 of the result and campaign opinions is here!

I know I said that Rajasthan was Congress's biggest comeback, well I take it back because INDIA alliance won in Maharashtra with Congress getting 13 seats, Shiv Sena (og one) with 9 and NCP (again, og one) with 8. With BJP getting 9 seats, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde one) and NCP (new one) getting 7 and 1 seats respectively, NDA lost 28 of its seats. And honestly, what a banger. Sharad Pawar probably deserves credit for this, that man is a shrewd politician. Also, the Congressi responsible for campaigning in Maharashtra also deserves credit, because Congress performed well and beyond the expectations here.

Tamil Nadu my beloved. Major INDIA sweep! DMK (22) and Congress (9) while BJP remained on the zero mark. As expected of the Tamil public. Everyone say thank you to DMK's campaign and BJP's incompetency to get the Tamilians on their side.

Chhattisgarh is an almost BJP sweep, with BJP getting 10 and Congress getting 1. Expected for Congress, given the Vidhaan Sabha results last year.

Another almost BJP (25) sweep is Gujarat, again, as expected. It is, after all BJP's garh, as my mother calls it. Very heavy campaign that paid off for BJP. Hats off to the Congressi who won 1 seat, probably worked very hard on his own.

Things get tricky in Karnataka, where BJP won with 17 seats and Congress got 9. Again, not much familiar with Karnataka politics, but BJP did lose 8 of its seats, so I guess a part of the public is losing trust in the government but it's not a majority yet. A Rajasthan like situation.

TDP shines in Andhra Pradesh with 16 seats, BJP with 4. Congress remained on its zero mark. Chandrababu Naidu come to the INDIA bloc you can be deputy PM

Congress (14), Muslim League (2) and CPIM (1) lead INDIA alliance to an almost sweep in Kerala, BJP getting 1 seat. I'm so glad that Shashi Tharoor won from Thiruvananthapuram, he is a delight to watch.

Things are perfectly balanced as all things should be in Telangana, with both Congress and BJP winning 8 seats each. I guess the public has major divide on issues and opinions.

That's it for this part, I thought this will be done in 2 parts, but guess not.

[mariacallous]

India’s election calculus is tricky. When Narendra Modi led the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power in 2014, he increased his party’s parliamentary seat tally to 282 from 116, essentially by gaining 12 percentage points of the popular vote. It was the first time since 1984 that a single Indian party won enough seats to form a government on its own.

The Indian National Congress party led the ruling coalition that Modi and the BJP defeated in 2014; the party’s vote share fell by 9 percentage points, but its seats dropped from 206 to a mere 44. Five years later, the BJP’s vote share rose again, to 37 percent, giving Modi’s party 303 seats. Congress increased its number of seats to 52, but as in 2014, that wasn’t even enough to merit a formal leader of the opposition in parliament.

In the six-week national election that concluded this month, the BJP’s vote share dropped only marginally, to around 36 percent, but its number of seats fell dramatically, to 240—causing the party to lose its majority. Although Congress’s vote share rose modestly to around 21 percent, its seats increased to 99. As a result, India will have an official leader of the opposition for the first time in a decade. Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party leader and heir to India’s most illustrious political dynasty, may well play that role.

That may seem like a small achievement for India’s beleaguered opposition—and the election result was still the third-worst performance for Congress since India’s first vote in 1952—but it represents a change surprising and seismic enough for some analysts to conclude that Modi’s latest victory was “Pyrrhic,” and that the opposition now has a foundation to win in 2029. As the former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson quipped, “A week is a long time in politics”—and five years an eternity.

In 2029, Modi will be 78 years old, but this year, he still ran a campaign based on his own record and personality. The BJP’s manifesto included more than 50 photographs of Modi. Much commentary about the results has focused on Modi’s declining popularity. Given his political dominance, it is natural for his critics to enjoy a moment of schadenfreude. On the campaign trail, Modi’s rhetoric sounded more shrill, critical of minorities, and insulting toward his opponents; during the election, he even implied that he was divinely ordained to lead India.

This year’s election has also undermined the argument that Modi’s main rival, Rahul Gandhi, is a political lightweight overwhelmed by India’s complexities. Gandhi is descended from three former prime ministers, including India’s first, Jawaharlal Nehru. (His mother, Sonia, serves in the upper house of parliament.) Now 54, Gandhi has been a member of parliament since 2004, winning six of the seven elections that he has contested. Yet the BJP has carried out a relentless and remarkably effective propaganda campaign against him. Modi has described him as a shehzada, or crown prince, while BJP ministers have dismissed him as Pappu, a pejorative term for a young boy of limited intelligence.

Unlike Modi, Gandhi does not assert that he has all the answers; he listens, an approach that may have helped him during the election. He likes to engage the public, and since September 2022 he has led two long marches across the country—the Bharat Jodo Yatra (Unite India March) and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (Unite India for Justice March)—that electrified the masses and transformed his image. According to some estimates, Gandhi wrested 41 parliamentary seats from areas where he marched. He talked to constituents, listened to voters, and spoke about social justice, women’s emancipation, empowering the weak and the dispossessed, and bringing people together.

Those topics may seem mawkish, but India’s last decade has been a period of considerable strife. Discrimination against Muslims has grown, with mosques targeted or claimed by Hindus, homes bulldozed, and interfaith marriages discouraged. The triumphal inauguration of a Hindu temple—sanctioned by the Indian Supreme Court—on the site of a mosque razed in 1992 only further alienated Muslims. The BJP’s policy of imposing the Hindi language in states where it is not spoken widely has fueled animosity. Youth unemployment has risen in many parts of the country, along with inequality.

As in the past, Modi’s campaign focused on divisive issues—but more voters than in the last two elections seemed to listen to Gandhi this time around. These voters likely don’t care about more Indians being listed in global rankings of billionaires; they are uninterested in gleaming high-rises and malls, speedier trains, superior airports, or toll roads connecting long distances. Their concerns are for more access to water, food, electricity, jobs, and justice. Gandhi seemed to fashion the Congress manifesto to respond to those concerns.

This is not to suggest that, if elected to power, the Congress party would meet these perennial needs. Having ruled India for 54 of its 76 years since independence, Congress must bear the blame for India’s lack of development. The party deserves credit for introducing economic liberalization in 1991, but its support for free-market reforms has often been cautious rather than enthusiastic. Furthermore, although Gandhi speaks of harmony, there have been several disturbances under Congress party rule in India—the most notorious being the massacre of Sikhs in 1984 in retaliatory violence after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Rahul’s grandmother.

Nonetheless, Gandhi’s spirited campaign, decency, and collegiality stood in marked contrast to Modi’s personalized and abrasive style. Gandhi seemed to avoid a personality cult by building a consensus-driven campaign and not projecting himself as the face of the opposition alliance. In the leadup to the election, he continued to be ridiculed as an entitled politician, but he focused on his message. And wherever he marched, he chipped votes away from the BJP. One analysis showed that between 600,000 and 700,000 votes going the other way in 30 constituencies would have led to a different outcome.

The BJP has portrayed itself as pro-business, and analysts sympathetic to the BJP have described Congress as leftist, with BJP leaders reinforcing the link. Indeed, Congress introduced many welfare schemes for the poor—but the BJP has not canceled any of them during its time in power and has increased support for some programs. Historically, Congress was a centrist or center-left party reliant on the support of Indian businesses that pursued a prudent fiscal policy. The party was distrustful of private capital and free-market economics. But it was also Congress that took early steps in liberalization, invested in technology, and boosted India’s telecoms network.

For Congress, the road ahead remains long, but its rejuvenation raises interesting possibilities. Most Indian voters are too young to remember a Gandhi—or Nehru—as prime minister. Now, there could soon be three Gandhis in parliament: On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi’s sister, Priyanka, announced that she would contest one of the two seats that her brother won during this election. Some observers see Priyanka as more charismatic and savvier than Rahul.

Furthermore, a sizable segment of India’s population is under the age of 30, and this generation has rising expectations and aspirations—including an impatience to get rich. Can Congress reinvent itself as India’s so-called banyan tree party that includes everyone under its shade? The BJP offers a muscular nationalism with angry overtones; Gandhi promises that he wants to revive an older idea of India, based on equality and tolerance. Do these younger voters want a calmer, gentler India?

Indian politics has entered a new phase, and the time to ignore Rahul Gandhi may be over. He may still never become India’s prime minister—after all, it seems unlikely that someone from the Gandhi family would want to lead a shaky coalition. But even if he simply persists in emphasizing equality, justice, and empathy, Gandhi will have played a transformative role in Indian politics.

The last decade has shown India’s angry and assertive side, but its founding fathers built the country’s reputation as a soft power that punched above its weight. Reclaiming such moral authority has its virtues. The rules are changing in India, and Gandhi may not only be the son who rises, but also the son who surprises.

[follow-up-news]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered a surprise setbackTuesday, with his majority in doubt as he claimed to have secured a rare third term at the helm of the world’s most populous country after a divisive decade in power. His Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and allied parties appeared to have secured almost 300 of 543 seats in Parliament,early election results showed, which would give them a simple majority. But the BJP may fall short of a majority on its own, with the opposition performing better than expected after exit polls had suggested Modi’s alliance would win by a landslide. That result would weaken Modi, whose dominance over India has steadily grown since he gained power in 2014, and leave him dependent on forming a coalition to remain in power. Even that could be in doubt, as Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Indian National Congress, left open the possibility that he may try to form a coalition with two parties allied with the BJP that used to be Congress’ partners. This is not how the election was supposed to go for Modi, who has a vast base of supporters both at home and among the large Indian diaspora who see him as responsible for India’s rocketing economy and rising confidence on the world stage. According to Morning Consult, Modi is by far the world’s most popular leader, with an approval rating of 74%. Critics say Modi has also eroded human rights in India, the world’s largest democracy, and stoked religious tensions, particularly against India’s Muslim minority, with Modi and other BJP candidates accused of hate speech and other inflammatory rhetoric during the campaign. India is also struggling to provide enough jobs for its 1.4 billion people, despite being the world’s fastest-growing major economy. 

[atomxmedia]

Prashant Kishor and Yogendra Yadav’s Contrasting Predictions for Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Renowned political analysts Prashant Kishor and Yogendra Yadav have recently offered their predictions for the outcome of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in 2024. While both analysts have provided their insights, their forecasts diverge on crucial points, adding intrigue to the electoral landscape. Here’s an in-depth look at their predictions and the implications for the political scenario:

1. Prashant Kishor’s Projections:

Kishor foresees a scenario where the BJP replicates its performance from the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but falls short of crossing the 370-seat mark.

He suggests that while the BJP may not exceed 400 seats, it is unlikely to drop below the 270-seat threshold necessary to form a government independently.

Kishor’s analysis underscores the significance of alliances and coalition politics in securing a majority in the Lok Sabha.

2. Yogendra Yadav’s Forecasts:

In contrast, Yadav presents a more conservative outlook for the BJP, predicting that the party will struggle to surpass the 300-seat mark.

He emphasizes the challenges faced by the BJP in achieving its ambitious ‘400 paar’ claim, suggesting that the party’s seat tally may fall short of expectations.

Yadav’s projections highlight the potential for shifts in the political landscape, particularly in key states, which could influence the final outcome of the elections.

3. Alignment with Alliance Dynamics:

Both analysts acknowledge the importance of alliances in shaping the electoral arithmetic.

Kishor’s assessment recognizes the role of NDA allies in bolstering the BJP’s prospects, albeit within a defined seat range.

Yadav’s analysis raises the possibility of the INDIA bloc, led by the opposition, emerging as a formidable challenger to the NDA, contingent on developments in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

4. Regional Insights and Seat Projections:

Yadav provides a detailed breakdown of seat projections across various regions, offering insights into potential gains and losses for the BJP.

His projections suggest nuanced dynamics in states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha, with implications for the BJP’s overall performance.

Additionally, Yadav anticipates significant shifts in heartland states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others, which could shape the final outcome of the elections.

5. Impact of Regional Factors:

Yadav’s analysis underscores the influence of local dynamics, including state-specific issues and political narratives, on electoral outcomes.

He highlights the potential for surprises in states like Karnataka, West Bengal, Northeastern states, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, which may defy conventional expectations.

6. Implications for the NDA and Opposition:

Kishor and Yadav’s divergent forecasts offer contrasting narratives for the BJP-led NDA and the opposition alliances.

While Kishor’s projections suggest continuity in the BJP’s dominance, albeit within defined parameters, Yadav’s analysis hints at potential vulnerabilities and opportunities for the opposition to capitalize on.

In conclusion, Prashant Kishor and Yogendra Yadav’s predictions provide valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of Indian politics, highlighting the complexities and uncertainties inherent in electoral forecasting. As the elections unfold, the accuracy of these projections will be closely scrutinized, shaping the narrative of India’s democratic journey.

Read more: Marketing News, Advertising News, PR��and Finance News, Digital News

[townpostin]

BJP Gears Up for Jharkhand Assembly Elections Under Babulal Marandi

Former CM to lead party’s campaign despite recent Lok Sabha setbacks Jharkhand’s BJP prepares for crucial assembly polls, reaffirming faith in tribal leader Babulal Marandi despite internal challenges and recent electoral performance. RANCHI – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jharkhand has commenced preparations for the upcoming assembly elections, confirming former Chief Minister Babulal…

[drdemonprince]

Hello, I am absolutely gleeful about America having a big moment where is wants to break down tech monopolies (ly Lina Khan, trustbusting icon) and even though I'm not from America, I have optimism that it will cause many ripples across the world who use platforms by big tech...just wanted to tell you about it

In my country (India) the ruling party (BJP) has a disinformation campaign for years (abetted by Facebook and YouTube ads) and it is causing wide fractures in the democratic system. It is the perfect example for how Big Tech behaves in countries like mine. I am cautiously optimistic, and I wanted to tell you about it. I'd love if you have something to say about it as well...

A graduate of my PhD program (in political psychology) went on to work for Facebook, in a division that specialized in the company's influence on elections all throughout the world. Meta gave him a big six figure salary and jetted him all over the planet just to study how they were influencing non American electoral systems, and performing research on how to manipulate elections better.

Suffice to say I am pretty doomer about the subject. We'd need to tear Google and Meta to shreds to even begin to combat this stuff, but I don't see any lawmaker having any financial incentive to do that anytime soon. But i'd love to hear more of your perspective.

[beardedmrbean]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a grand temple to Hindu god Ram in the flashpoint city of Ayodhya.

He said it heralded "a new era" for India - the temple replaces a 16th-Century mosque torn down by Hindu mobs in 1992, sparking riots in which nearly 2,000 people died.

Top film stars and cricketers were among guests at the event in Ayodhya.

But some Hindu seers and most of the opposition boycotted it, saying Mr Modi was using it for political gain.

General elections are due in India in the next few months and Mr Modi's political rivals say the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be seeking votes in the temple's name in a country where 80% of the population is Hindu.

Critics have also accused the government of exploiting a religious celebration in a country which - according to its constitution - is secular. For Muslims, India's biggest minority, the event evoked fear and painful memories, members of the community in Ayodhya told the BBC in the run-up to Monday's ceremony.

Televised live, it showed Mr Modi performing religious rituals inside the temple's sanctum along with priests and Mohan Bhagwat, head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - the ideological fountainhead of Hindu nationalist parties.

The complex history of India's Ayodhya holy site

Transforming a flashpoint holy city into the ‘Hindu Vatican’

"Today's date will go down in history," Mr Modi said after the event. "After years of struggle and countless sacrifices, Lord Ram has arrived [home]. I want to congratulate every citizen of the country on this historic occasion."

The temple has been constructed at a cost of $217m (£170m), funded from private donations. Only the ground floor was opened - the rest is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The construction work is part of a revamp for the city, estimated to cost more than $3bn.

The building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya fulfils a decades-long Hindu nationalist pledge. Many Hindus believe the Babri mosque was built by Muslim invaders on the ruins of a temple where the Hindu god was born.

The movement to build the temple helped propel the BJP into political prominence in the 1990s.

There was a festive atmosphere as tens of thousands of chanting Hindu devotees waved flags and beat drums - military helicopters showered flower petals on the temple. Saffron flags with pictures of Lord Ram line streets in the city festooned with marigolds, as do banners with the faces of Mr Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Some of India's biggest celebrities, including Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, attended.

Temple rises from ruins of one of India’s darkest days

Listen: The temple at the heart of Modi's India re-election bid

Transforming a flashpoint holy city into the ‘Hindu Vatican’

In many other northern cities Hindus lit lamps, and saffron flags carrying images of Ram are fluttering on rooftops, including in several parts of Delhi. Cinemas screened the event, and big screens relayed pictures from Ayodhya to town squares and residential neighbourhoods.

The ceremony, called Pran Pratishtha, which loosely translates from Sanskrit into "establishment of life force", lasted about an hour. Hindus believe that chanting mantras and performing rituals around a fire will infuse sacred life in an idol or a photograph of a deity.

Several domestic TV stations built huge sets by the side of the river Saryu, a tributary of the Ganges, just behind the temple, and provided wall-to-wall coverage of the event, some proclaiming the moment of consecration as the start of "Ram Rajya" (Lord Ram's rule) in India.

Hindus celebrated the inauguration in other countries too. Massive billboards of Lord Ram graced Times Square in New York, where a group of devotees braved the freezing weather to gather in the middle of the night.

Temples all across the United Kingdom - where Indians are one of the largest diaspora groups - marked the event. Colourful posters had been shared inviting devotees to honour the occasion and celebrations involved flowers, sweets and music. There were also some celebrations in Muslim-majority Dubai - where Indians are a significant population - but from Indian news reports these appeared more muted than elsewhere.

In 2019, the Supreme Court gave the disputed land to Hindus after a protracted legal battle followed the mosque's demolition. Muslims were given a plot outside the city for a mosque but have yet to build one.

One member of the community the BBC spoke to in Ayodhya ahead of Monday's inauguration agreed that Hindus have the right to build the temple after the Supreme Court gave them the site.

"We did not accept that decision happily, but what can we do," he said. Another man said he was happy Hindus are building the temple - "but we are also sad because it was built after destroying a mosque".

The new three-storey temple - made with pink sandstone and anchored by black granite - stretches across 7.2 acres in a 70-acre complex. A 51-inch (4.25-ft) statue of the deity, specially commissioned for the temple, was unveiled last week. The idol has been placed on a marble pedestal in the sanctum sanctorum.

Thousands of police were deployed for Monday's event, despite Mr Modi having appealed to pilgrims not to turn up and to watch the ceremony on television. In many states a full or half day holiday was called, with schools and colleges closed and stock markets shut.

The build-up to a demolition that shook India

The man who helped Lord Ram win the Ayodhya case

But a sour note was struck with some top religious seers saying that as the temple was not yet complete, it was against Hinduism to perform the rituals there, and many opposition leaders deciding to stay away.

Some opposition-ruled states also announced their own plans for the day - West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she would pray at the iconic temple to goddess Kali in Kolkata and then lead an all-faith rally. The eastern state of Odisha (Orissa) unveiled huge plans to bring pilgrims to the Jagannath temple in Puri, one of the holiest sites for Hindus.

Authorities say they expect more than 150,000 visitors per day once the temple in Ayodhya is fully ready.

To accommodate this expected rush, new hotels are being built and existing ones spruced up as part of a major makeover and in recent weeks, a new airport and railway station have opened.

Officials say they are building a "world-class city where people come as pilgrims and tourists", but many local people have told the BBC that their homes, shops and "structures of religious nature" have been either completely or partially demolished to expand roads and set up other facilities.

[jobaaj]

🔴BREAKING NEWS: BJP-led NDA got majority! But why did the BJP fail to get 300 seats this time? 🤔 What happened?

Indians closely followed the announcement of the latest election results, observing a surprising turn of events for the nationalist ruling government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which faced a humbling outcome yesterday.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP had a remarkable victory, securing 303 seats on its own. However, in the recent elections, the BJP's seat count significantly dropped to 240. Even with the support of its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the coalition couldn't reach the 300-seat threshold.

Although the BJP, along with its NDA allies, still holds a majority, the new government will have to be formed through a coalition, as the BJP did not achieve a sole majority this time around. This marks a notable change in the political scenario, indicating a more collaborative governance structure ahead.

🧐 Why?

Several factors contributed to the decline in the BJP's popularity:

▪ High unemployment rates, rising inflation, and the controversial Agniveer scheme significantly damaged the party's standing among voters.

▪ Additionally, the BJP, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adopted an aggressive campaign strategy. Modi's campaign included several controversial remarks, such as the mangalsutra comment, the mujra remark, and the infiltrator comment, which sparked widespread criticism.

▪ Conversely, the Opposition performed effectively. They successfully consolidated votes through their I.N.D.I.A. alliance, and Akhilesh Yadav skillfully leveraged the PDA strategy.

▪ Furthermore, the Congress party made several enticing promises that, while potentially harmful to economic health (such as the Mahalaxmi scheme, increased MNREGA wages, and MSP guarantee), resonated positively with many voters.

😕What now?: ▪ Despite the disappointing results, the BJP still has the most seats independently and has the majority in Parliament with its allies in NDA.

▪ However, if the JDU and TDP choose to leave the NDA, Narendra Modi would not become the PM!

▪ The NDA is set to meet in Delhi today for the same!!! ❓Is Narendra Modi set to be PM? Or will the NDA betray the BJP?? Follow Jobaaj Stories (the media arm of Jobaaj.com Group for more)