Shashi Tharoor Slams BJP With '400 Paar, But In Another Country' Post

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP leadership, who had predicted a sweeping victory of over 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but secured only 293. Tharoor remarked that "ab ki baar, 400 paar" happened, but in another country, alluding to the Labour Party's significant win in the UK General Elections 2024.

The BJP had aimed for more than 370 seats for itself, with a collective target of over 400 for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, BJP managed to secure only 240 seats, while its allies won 53 seats, just surpassing the majority mark by 21.

Labour Party's Victory in UK

In the UK's House of Commons, which has 650 members, the Labour Party achieved a landslide victory by winning 412 seats. In contrast, Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party managed to secure only 121 seats. This political shift in the UK drew parallels with recent events in India.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted how opposition efforts had kept BJP below the majority mark in India's elections. He reflected on the political changes that occurred a month ago and how they impacted BJP's performance.

Opposition's INDIA Bloc Performance

The opposition's INDIA Bloc made a strong comeback by winning 234 seats but fell short of forming a government. Congress improved its tally significantly by securing 99 seats, an increase of 44 from their performance in 2019. Additionally, two Independent MPs pledged their support to Congress, raising the INDIA bloc's total to 236.

Jairam Ramesh criticised what he described as a circumvention of parliamentary norms by a self-declared non-biological person who was not elected by party MPs but instead appointed as an alliance leader. He stated this move was an attempt to save face after suffering significant electoral and moral defeats.

This political commentary comes amid major transitions both in India and the UK, highlighting how electoral outcomes can have far-reaching implications and draw international comparisons.