The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
People’s Verdict: Setback for BJP
The results of the 18th Lok Sabha election are a setback for the BJP. It has lost its majority in the Lok Sabha which it had got in the past two Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and 2019. This is a stinging blow to the image of invincibility built around Narendra Modi, who had boasted about winning 400 seats in this election.
The elections were held in the background of all out attacks on the opposition parties, misuse of Central agencies and massive use of money power. The Polit Bureau congratulates the people for standing up to these authoritarian attacks and safeguarding the Constitution, democracy and civil rights.
The INDIA bloc has put up a creditable showing having taken up the issues of unemployment, price rise, agrarian distress and the attacks on democracy and the Constitution. They were able to a considerable extent counter the communal electioneering indulged in by Modi and the BJP.
The results would have been more adverse for the BJP and the NDA if the Election Commission had ensured a level-playing field. It’s abject failure to curb the inflammatory communal rhetoric of Narendra Modi and enforce the Model Code of Conduct is a blot on the reputation of the Commission.
The CPI(M) and the Left parties have registered a marginal improvement in their tally. A more detailed analysis will be undertaken after the full election results are available.
The verdict signals that the people are going to fight back all attacks on democracy, the Constitution and their livelihood.