Though Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party won the latest general election, their loss of an absolute legislative majority looks a lot like defeat, while the resurgent opposition’s defeat looks a lot like victory. That is good news for Indian democracy.
NEW DELHI – When the results of India’s general election were announced on June 4, the biggest losers were the pundits and pollsters, who had almost unanimously predicted an overwhelming victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Their exit-poll projections were so far off the mark in several states that one prominent pollster, appearing on India’s most popular English-language television channel, burst into tears on camera when the actual results were revealed.
NEW DELHI – When the results of India’s general election were announced on June 4, the biggest losers were the pundits and pollsters, who had almost unanimously predicted an overwhelming victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Their exit-poll projections were so far off the mark in several states that one prominent pollster, appearing on India’s most popular English-language television channel, burst into tears on camera when the actual results were revealed.