In a results-oriented business like electoral politics, there is rarely such a thing as a moral victory. But that is precisely what India’s opposition parties achieved on Tuesday even though they are, numerically speaking, unlikely to win the general election.
By evening, it appeared that the governing Bharatiya Janata Party would end up with the highest number of seats in the lower house of Parliament. The National Democratic Alliance of which it is a part was leading in more than half the number of seats.
And yet if one were to gauge the mood on the ground from afar – including by trawling through mainstream and social media channels and talking to people from different walks of life – it would be easy to think that the party that’s been in power for a decade just got crushed by its opponents.
That’s because the BJP's victory was more sweeping in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, when it clinched 282 and 303 seats and didn’t require support from other parties to form government. But now, in a situation where it needs help from its partners in the NDA, the ball is not entirely in its court.
That in and of itself is a win for the opposition INDIA alliance that has suffered defeat after electoral defeat over the past 10 years, both at the national and local levels.
Hectic parleying had already begun before the tallying finished, as the opposition camp reportedly reached out to some of the smaller NDA parties to jump ship. But regardless of who forms government in the coming days – and the BJP might still be able to hold its flock together – what is crystal clear is that something has shifted in Indian politics: it is almost certain to regress towards the mean.
Since 2014, on the back of brute majorities in Parliament, the administration led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dominated national politics. Opposition parties – primarily the Indian National Congress that previously held power for more than five decades – had been beaten into submission, reduced to double-digit numbers of MPs in the lower house. The BJP rode the “Modi wave” to win elections in a majority of the states and urban centres, albeit with notable setbacks.
During this period, the government targeted the opposition by sending investigative agencies after its leaders, purportedly to tackle corruption, although critics allege that the real reason was to co-opt these politicians and their vote banks.
Gauging the mood from afar, it would be easy to think that the party that’s been in power for a decade just got crushed
It also rammed through a number of reforms, including the abrogation of Article 370 that gave autonomy to the disputed territory of Jammu-Kashmir and stopping the practice of “triple talaq” that empowered Muslim men to unilaterally end their marriage.
Whenever the government faced a public backlash, such as during the passage of three contentious farm laws and a citizen amendment act, it did the prudent thing and withdrew these reforms. But opposition parties and civil society continued to paint the deeply ideological Hindu nationalist party as a force determined to eventually amend the Constitution to convert the republic from a liberal, secular democracy to an illiberal, Hindu ethnocracy.
Clearly, this narrative was not compelling enough for millions of Indians who were, quite understandably, more focused on the government’s economic programmes, infrastructure projects and muscular foreign policy that undoubtedly benefited the country. Until the long-drawn-out general election got under way in May, therefore, it was a given that the BJP would retain power, perhaps with an even bigger mandate.
But two factors may have come into play, for the election to throw what is effectively a hung verdict.
One is the economy. India’s gross domestic product growth has been impressive since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Modi government has tamed inflation. But while global media focused on the positives – particularly at a time when multinational companies were adopting the “China plus one” strategy of investing in a country other than the world's second-largest economy – they largely ignored issues like rural distress and youth unemployment.
Experts have often talked about the silent voter, who would opt to make his or her dissent known at the ballot box rather than at protest rallies. Given how well the opposition has fared in this election among those living in rural areas and small towns, the silent voter has ultimately prevailed – no matter what the opinion polls, including the exit polls released on Saturday, told us.
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The second factor may have been an acute fear, whether rational or not, among the marginalised sections of society that the BJP would mount an assault on the very idea of affirmative action as part of its agenda to amend the Constitution. This, many openly feared, would include rolling back reservations that guarantee government jobs, college admissions and welfare schemes to people from the lower caste groups. The INDIA alliance preyed, with success it seems, on this widespread anxiety during the election.
All this means that the BJP, while still a force to reckon with, will be a diminished one.
It’s important to note that over the past decade, Mr Modi’s popularity was such that a cult of personality had emerged that subsumed most of the faultlines and contradictions that have been a feature of Indian politics. Such was his command that politicians, policymakers and bureaucrats marched to a sometimes-overcentralised government’s tune. The BJP, critics often claimed, was in the middle of pursuing its own One Nation project that included a deliberate subordination of the states to the federal government. This could change.
Second, one presumes that with more representatives in Parliament, the opposition will be much stronger for the next five years. This is vital. The hope for millions of Indians must be that the new political equations translate to more robust debates and discussions in the highest legislature of the land and greater co-operation among parties and governments at all levels.
This would amount to more than just a moral victory for the people of India.
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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SPECS
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MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
HAJJAN
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
Size: Seven employees
Funding: $170,000 in angel investment
Funders: friends
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
