New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected win up to 350 seats in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, a top economist and psephologist has predicted.
Noted economist Surjit Bhalla, in an interview with NDTV, said that the BJP is likely to perform better this time than what it achieved in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The saffron party would register a 5 to 7% rise in seats won compared to the 2019 results, he said.
“Based on statistical possibility, they should get 330 to 350 seats on their own. This is just the BJP, not including its alliance partners,” Bhalla said in his interview.
Regarding Congress, the economist said that the party may get 44 seats – 2% less than what it won in the 2014 election.
Pointing out the “leadership” problem in the opposition parties, Bhalla said, “The economy matters the most, the leadership matters second. And both of them are in favour of the BJP. If the Opposition had selected a leader who could have a mass appeal or approximating half the appeal that Prime Minister Modi has, then I think it could be a contest”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposing parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing ousting him from power.
The 2024 elections are taking place at a time when opposition leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, have been arrested on charges of corruption in the liquor policy case.
The reason behind BJP’s victory would be the ‘improvement in people’s lives’, he said, adding “per capita consumption has improved, lives have improved…Poverty is relative now, no longer absolute.”
While the first phase of Lok Sabha elections took place on April 19, the second phase will be held on April 26. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
