To some a deity, to others a dictator: Is Narendra Modi set for victory in India's general election?

Ahead of India's general election result, ITV News' Asia Correspondent Debi Edward reflects on why a Narendra Modi victory could be so divisive.


At seven o’clock this morning we arrived in one of the poorer communities in Delhi, where they are relying on water rations.

It was already 32C when the water tanker arrived and there was a huge commotion as men, women and children rushed towards the pipes, which suddenly sprouted from all sides of the vehicle.

They frantically filled up buckets, bottles and whatever vessel they had, with as much water as they could carry.

It was a far cry from the orderly queues we’ve seen of people lining up to vote over the past six weeks. The Indian capital is in the grip of a punishing heatwave, and a critical water shortage.

Credit: ITV News
Credit: ITV News

Large parts of the country are enduring extreme temperatures for days on end. But climate change was barely mentioned during the entire 44-day, seven phase, voting process.

On the final weekend, while India Prime Minister Narendra Modi was enjoying his post-election meditation in a cool coastal temple, more than 50 people - including 33 election workers - died due to heatstroke.

Although the heat is thought to have contributed to a lower turnout in some constituencies, more than half a billion people have still had their say. That’s just over half of the 970 million registered voters.

Exit polls suggest Mr Modi and his Hindu nationalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have secured a third term.

These polls have proved inaccurate in the past, and on this occasion, there were some which had certain parties winning more seats than they had contested.

However, if the predictions are even close to correct, Mr Modi will owe his victory to a slick campaign which has presented him as the embodiment of India.

His rousing rally speeches were more like sermons, and his party has spent billions on social media and an army of influencers to amplify his cult persona.

Credit: ITV News
Credit: ITV News

We watched Harish Burnwal broadcasting to his followers on YouTube. His channel has almost a million subscribers, and he was in no doubt Mr Modi has won another majority.

He said messages flood in during his livestreams and they have been filled with support for the prime minister.

Mr Burnwal described Mr Modi as having an "aura", and said he has received comments from around the world which show the global Indian community is also backing him to win.

That is not necessarily true for Muslim Indians. Those we met at Monday prayer in Delhi were hoping the exit polls are wrong.

During Mr Modi’s first ten years in power, Muslims have been subjected to violence, and treated like second class citizens.

In election speeches the prime minister referred to Muslims as "infiltrators" who have "many children". He even described a vote for the opposition Congress party as ‘’vote jihad”.

Such Islamophobic rhetoric was no surprise for the author Ziya Us Salam, whose latest book is called ‘Being Muslim in Hindu India’.

He and his family have been subjected to abuse because of their faith, and he says many Muslims have started changing what they wear and how long they keep their beards, in order not to stand out.

He told me all minority faiths and communities could find life becoming harder during a third term of Mr Modi.

Credit: ITV News
Credit: ITV News

Suddenly in neighbourhoods where people of multiple faiths have lived in harmony, the seeds of discord are being sown.

He feels they are in a fight to save the Constitution of India and the secular society it guarantees.

This has been the longest and hottest election in India’s history, and the result could prove to be one of the most divisive.

We’ve heard many words used to describe Mr Modi. To some he is a deity, to others a dictator. We will soon know whether most Indians still want to call him their prime minister.

The opposition parties still believe they might have done enough to prevent Mr Modi getting the majority he will need to extend his autocratic agenda.

The fate of 1.4 billion people and the founding freedoms of India rest on Tuesday’s result.


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