Indian leader's party takes electoral hit amid virus surge
NEW DELHI (AP) — Preliminary voting trends released by India's electoral body on Sunday indicate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party failed to make gains in four recent state elections, a sign his political strength may be slipping as the country struggles to contain an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases.
Health experts say the massive electoral rallies and marches held as voters cast their ballots in March and April are partly to blame for the subsequent spike in COVID-19 infections. Public anger for allowing the elections to go forward despite the risk has been directed at both Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the independent Election Commission. The commission will release the final voting results later Sunday.
Even before the current virus surge, Modi's party faced stiff challenges making inroads in these local elections. Following the disappointing results, Modi stands weakened but faces no threats to staying on as prime minister until his term ends in 2024.
The Election Commission's voting trend forecasts on Sunday showed the BJP trailing in West Bengal state behind a powerful regional party, apparently unable to dislodge the state’s firebrand chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, after a hard-fought campaign.
Modi's party looks set to retain power in the northeastern Assam state for a second term, but failed to pick up any significant gains there or make inroads in two southern states, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
“The BJP started running out steam as the pandemic spread,” said political analyst Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
"The verdict in West Bengal state will definitely weaken Modi’s position," he said, but added that further study of the results was needed in order to say how much this was a referendum on the BJP's handling of the COVID-19...
