Modi set to lose majority in Indian election shock

Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata party looks likely to lose its parliamentary majority, dealing an unexpected blow to the prime minister and forcing him to negotiate with coalition partners in order to return to power.

- Hannah Ellis-Petersen

Although not all votes had been counted, by last night it was clear that the predicted BJP landslide would not materialise and instead there had been a pushback against the prime minister and his Hindu nationalist politics in swaths of the country.

The party appeared to have lost more than 60 seats, bringing its total to about 240, below the 272 required for a parliamentary majority.

It is the first time since Modi was elected in 2014 that the BJP has not won a majority on its own. Nonetheless, together with its political allies, known as the national democratic alliance (NDA), its win amounts to about 292 seats, which is enough to form a majority government to rule for the next five years and return Modi to office for a third term.

Meanwhile, the opposition alliance, which goes by the initialism INDIA, far outperformed expectations, collectively winning more than 230 seats. The alliance, formed of more than 20 national and regional opposition parties, had come together for the first time in this election with the aim of defeating Modi.

Despite the tight race, Modi insisted he had been given a mandate to lead again. Declaring himself "very, very happy today" in an address to voters at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, Modi said: "I would like to bow down before the people of the country. Today is an emotional moment for me personally as well. This was my first election after I lost my mother."

"The blessings of the people for the third time after 10 years boosts our morale, gives new strength."