Global media credits PM Modi for BJP's historic victory in Gujarat

International media has given credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity for the BJP's victory in Gujarat.

New Delhi, Dec 09: International media has lavishly hailed the BJP's victory in Gujarat Assembly elections, largely attributing the success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity. The saffron party on Thursday returned to power by 156 seats in the 182-member assembly.

It was the biggest victory in terms of seats since Gujarat was founded in 1960 as the BJP broke previous record of 149 seats by Madhav Singh Solanki's Congress government in 1985. The saffron party registered its seventh straight win in the state polls and became the second party to win seven straight assembly polls after the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The Straits Times of Singapore, the Nikkei Asia, Al Jazeera, Independent, ABC News some of the international media that posted the photographs of BJP's celebration in Gujarat. British publication The Guardian noted that the Prime Minister had given a significant boost to his party ahead of the 2024 General Elections.

"Gujarat is a BJP bastion, with Mr Modi credited for transforming the state into an economic powerhouse over the 13 years that he was chief minister between 2001 and 2014," The Straits Times said, claiming that he was the face of the party.

Japan's Nikkei Asia highlighted how the BJP has not lost in Gujarat since 1995 and attributed the PM's popularity for the saffron party juggernaut. "Modi is wildly popular in the state, where he served as chief minister for nearly 13 years before becoming prime minister in 2014," the newspaper said, according to a news agency. It also noted the series of election rallies carried out by the PM.

"Many residents take pride in the fact that the Gujarat-born Modi represents India at the global level, and feel a sense of responsibility to support him," the newspaper added. The UK-based The Independent pointed out that the big win in Gujarat is a big boost for BJP which is aiming to return to power again in the 2024 General Polls.

Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Ajay Gudavarthy told Al Jazeera that the BJP's comfortable win in Gujarat shows a deeper consolidation of the Hindu vote.

In the election, the Congress party ended in the second place, winning 17 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that made its debut with a high-decibel campaign managed to win 5 seats. Independents won three seats and the Samajwadi Party bagged up one.

Interestingly, the BJP improved its vote share to 53 per cent from 49 per cent last time, while the Congress party's vote share fell sharply from 42 per cent to 27 per cent, as a good chunk of its voters appeared to have switched to AAP, which secured 13 per cent of the votes counted.