Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has extended his congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on victory in the recent Indian elections. President Wickremesinghe tweeted his felicitations, saying the trust the Indian electorate has placed in Modi's leadership and expressing Sri Lanka's eagerness to strengthen its partnership with India.
The Election Commission of India announced results for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the BJP winning 240 seats and the Congress securing 99. The result for the Beed constituency in Maharashtra is still pending.
Prime Minister Modi is set to form the government for a third consecutive term, with the BJP-led NDA securing a majority in the Lok Sabha, despite significant losses compared to previous elections. The BJP, needing support from allies, fell short of the 272 majority mark, garnering 240 seats. Key allies such as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (United) contributed to the NDA crossing the halfway mark.
The Congress, part of the opposition INDIA bloc, increased its seat count to 99, impacting the BJP's performance in Rajasthan and Haryana. The Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress also performed strongly, contributing to the opposition's presence in the new Lok Sabha.
This election, held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, saw the participation of over 640 million voters, making it the largest democratic exercise in the world.