In a dramatic election victory, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA stormed back to power with a thumping mandate riding on a wave bigger than the 2014 ‘TsuNamo’. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah expressed their gratitude to voters and vowed to devote “every moment” for the people of India, this is how newspapers captured the historic victory and the man of the moment, PM Modi.
NaMoment: India Keeps Faith in Modi (Hindustan Times)
One of the largest-read newspapers in its special edition for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections referred to the landslide win as NaMoment and detailed how the BJP’s win “is a vindication of its strategy of converting elections into a presidential-style contest”. The paper decoded 10 election questions such as the Opposition’s errors, role of BJP’s allies and effect of farmer unrest. It also termed Jaganmohan Reddy, Stalin and Naveen Patnaik as “other big winners”.
Modi 2.024 (Indian Express)
The Indian Express played on Modi’s return to power and stint for the next five years with its headline. The paper discussed how 48 years after Indira Gandhi, a Prime Minister had returned to power. It also listed the Opposition’s crumbling defeat, with a focus on Gandhi bastion Amethi which was snatched from Rahul Gandhi’s hands by the BJP’s Smriti Irani in a nail-biting finish. The BJP’s inroads in West Bengal also made its way to the front page, with the Indian Express calling it the saffron party “breathing down Trinamool’s neck”.
Chowkidar’s Chamatkaar (Times of India)
The Times of India headline referred to the Prime Minister’s 2019 slogan — an attack from the Opposition which the BJP turned into a tool for victory. The paper credited BJP’s massive win to nationalism, Hindutva and welfare and also focused on key regional players such as Jaganmohan Reddy, Naveen Patnaik and Nitish Kumar. ToI also focused on the BJP’s sweep in the national capital, where it decimated the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress.
Unstoppable (Shillong Times)
The Shillong Times' front page referred to the Modi juggernaut as 'Unstoppable' in its headline, while speaking of the Congress's loss in its pocket borough Amethi. The BJP has shown phenomenal rise in the Northeast despite the anger over National Register of Citizens (NRC).
He is Back (The Telegraph)
The Telegraph announced the return of Modi, saying Rahul Gandhi and other opposition parties "bite the dust". Calling it the 'Thunder of Majority', the paper did an analytical piece titled 'BJP of 2019 looks like TMC of 2009'. In a shock development, the saffron party grabbed 18 seats in West Bengal, proving its mettle on Mamata Banerjee's home turf.
International Media
Most international papers and websites also featured Modi’s historic win. Pakistan’s Dawn paper with the headline ‘Modi wins second term by landslide, pledges inclusive government’ focused on that country’s ties with India post the BJP’s victory. It also spoke about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s hopes to work with Modi for regional peace.
The Guardian featured Modi’s profile with the headline ‘Narendra Modi: from impoverished tea seller to master of political theatre’, detailing the prime minister’s meteoric rise. The New York Times captured the man of the moment with the headline ‘Narendra Modi, India’s ‘Watchman,’ Captures Historic Election Victory’.
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