"Narendra Modi has forfeited his right to form government": Chidambaram after LS poll results

New Delhi [India], June 5 : Former Union Minister P Chidambaram hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party after the Lok Sabha election results stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "forfeited" his right to form a government and should "step down" from the leadership.
Attacking the BJP further, he said that a government under PM Modi "cannot tackle" the challenges of unemployment and price rise.
BJP fell 32 seats short of the 272 majority mark after votes polled in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were counted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured a third term, but the BJP will need to rely on the support of other parties in his coalition - JD (U) chief Nitish Kumar and TDP's chief Chandrababu Naidu.
"In the best traditions of a parliamentary democracy, the prime minister who led his party to a defeat must step down from the leadership. 240 seats (or so) won by the BJP is a resounding defeat for the party which went into the election with 303 seats and set for itself a target of 370 seats. Mr Narendra Modi has forfeited his right to form a government," Chidambaram posted on social media platform X.
"Mr Modi refused to acknowledge that the two topmost concerns of the people were 1) unemployment and 2) inflation. A government under Mr Modi cannot tackle the twin challenges of unemployment and price rise. Both became worse under the Modi regime," he added.
The Congress leader said that the people's verdict is that they want a new government, adding that all political parties are obliged to respect their wishes and pave the way for a new government.
"The verdict of the people is that they want a new government to replace the Modi government. All political parties are obliged to respect the wishes of the people and pave the way for a new government," Chidambaram stated.
The counting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was held on Tuesday.
According to the Election Commission of India, BJP won 240 seats, which came as a blow as the party-led alliance of NDA was eyeing '400 paar'. The Congress, on the other hand, registered a strong growth winning 99 seats. The INDIA bloc crossed the 230 mark, posing stiff competition, and defying all predictions.
For the first time, since the Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power in 2014, it did not secure a majority on its own --- far fewer than the record 303 it won in the 2019 election.
Meanwhile, PM Modi-led NDA has staked claim to the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people for the mandate and said BJP-led NDA will form its third successive government and that it is the victory of the resolve of Viksit Bharat, of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' and of the strong faith of people in India's Constitution.
"On this sacred day, it is confirmed that NDA is forming the government for the third time. We are grateful to the people, they reposed full faith on the BJP, NDA. This is the victory of the world's largest democracy, it is a victory of strong faith on India's Constitution, it is the victory of the resolve of Viksit Bharat. It is the victory of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas'," he said in his address at the BJP headquarters on Tuesday.