New Delhi (Web Desk): India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday claimed victory in the country’s elections.
According to Election Commission data based on votes counted so far, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on course to win around 300 of 543 elected seats in India’s lower house, surpassing its 2014 victory and crushing the opposition Congress party´s hopes of a comeback.
According to Indian TV channel NDTV, the BJP led alliance is ahead with 343 seats, with the alliance led by Congress on 93 seats. The non-aligned parties currently have 106 seats.
The BJP has been accused by critics of discriminating against India’s religious minorities, in particular, its 170 million-strong Muslim population. Under Modi, lynchings of Muslims and low-caste Dalits for eating beef and slaughtering and trading in cattle have risen.
Modi ally and BJP party boss Amit Shah tweeted that the election results, which are yet to be finalised, were a victory "for all of India".
"This result is India’s verdict against the propaganda, lies, personal attacks and baseless politics of the opposition," he added.
"Today's mandate also shows that people of India have entirely uprooted casteism, nepotism and appeasement to choose nationalism and development."
