It has been a Lok Sabha election that has proved that the mind of the Indian people is unpredictable. The results of the election have come out that have overturned BJP's claim that it will rule by winning a majority and the indications of the exit polls. According to the latest available data, BJP-led NDA alliance, which is leading in 298 seats, is securing a third term for Modi, but the Congress-led India Alliance, which is leading in 226 seats, is right behind by putting up a bigger challenge than expected.

This election also publicly declares that the people of India have rejected the slogan of Congress-free India, which reflects the totalitarian style. The result in Uttar Pradesh is enough to convince BJP that overconfidence is dangerous. The results of states like Haryana and Rajasthan, besides UP, should not be expected to sweep the whole of North India by opening the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. BJP, which won 62 seats in UP in 2019, has reduced to 34 seats, while Samajwadi Party, which won only 5 seats then, is leading in 36 seats. Even Congress is ahead by six seats. Where did the BJP go wrong?

The first mistake was underestimating the young leader, Rahul Gandhi. Even though Rahul has conducted the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which goes down to the people twice, most of the BJP leaders have been mocking him, saying that he is not going to achieve anything with this. Even when the Congress wrested Karnataka from BJP in the assembly elections held after the first Jodo Yatra, BJP leadership did not see any danger in it.

Secondly, BJP thought that the Congress would not be able to form an alliance by uniting the opposition parties. BJP was able to sweep UP last time because the opposition parties contested in a divided manner. People believed that when BJP was in power for 10 years, inflation would come down. Inflation did not abate and unemployment worsened. In states like UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab, at least one person from most families has a job in the army. The campaign that the Agni Veer scheme would destroy their children's hope of permanent employment was one of the important steps that pushed people to turn against the central government.

Meanwhile, in recent politics in India, no party has come back to power after ruling for ten years. In that sense, although the colour has faded a bit, the return of Modi is also an indication that the people still have high expectations from the leader. No one can protect any power anymore through religious icons and extreme communal propaganda. Along with development, the people expect measures from the govt to reduce the burden of their daily lives. The past elections have also proved that if the rates of electricity, water, travel, fuel, etc. are increasing frequently, people will respond beyond their ideologies and isms.

Similarly, the style of investigation agencies hunting only those in opposition is not justifiable. Arresting pposition leaders and freezing their party accounts during elections is not a right thing to do. The voting pattern of the people this time strongly reflects the realisation that a strong opposition is necessary for the survival of democracy. This verdict reminds the rulers that the people are sovereign. Leaders should turn the wheel of government not as the people's gods but as their servants.

While LDF and UDF are repeatedly said that lotus will never bloom in Kerala, BJP opened its account here in Thrissur. Along with this, it is also a fact that strong anti-incumbency sentiment has rippled across the state from north to south. The overwhelming majority of successful UDF candidates are proof of that. BJP lost Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram by narrow margins. This indicates that a section of votes from LDF and UDF were secured by BJP. UDF got 18 seats, which is a great victory. The modesty and honesty of the candidate Radhakrishnan in Alathur are the factors that contributed to the success of LDF. For whatever reason, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will give Modi and Pinarayi an opportunity for many popular reforms. People will not tolerate a constant style of arrogance, no matter who shows it.