Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed a “resounding” victory for his party and its allies in a key local election in the country’s poorest state of Bihar.
The eastern state of 130 million people was widely seen as a bellwether and a test of Modi’s ability to translate New Delhi’s booming economy into gains for its poorest citizens.
Counting is still ongoing and the final tally may not be out until Saturday, but the election commission said partial results and projections suggested a solid majority for Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the state assembly.
Modi called the win a “victory of good governance”.
“This resounding public mandate will empower us to serve the people and work with new resolve for Bihar,” he said in a post on social media.
Bihar is the only state in the Hindi-speaking north where Modi’s party has never ruled alone.
This time too, it is unlikely to secure a majority by itself but appears set to emerge as the single largest party ahead of its alliance partner, Janata Dal (United).
Together with smaller allies, they are on course to secure at least three-quarters of the state legislature’s 243 seats, according to figures from the election commission. The election outcome can boost Modi and his party ahead of other key regional polls next year, analysts say.
It is also expected to put the Indian leader on a surer footing after a series of daunting economic and foreign policy challenges, including armed conflict with neighbouring Pakistan and steep US tariffs.
