Indian Elections: PM Narendra Modi wins in landslide victory

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02:13

Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi was swept back into office with a landslide victory following an election that lasted more than a month. CGTN's Shweta Bajaj reports from New Delhi on the reasons behind his victory.

Celebrations at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters began as soon as it became clear Narendra Modi would once again be prime minister of India. With a sweeping win across the country, Modi's government has shut down all his critics, winning more seats in this year's elections than in 2014.

NARENDRA MODI INDIAN PRIME MINISTER "If anyone has won, it's India. If anyone has won, it's the democracy. If anyone has won, it's the people of India. So, all of us, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and our partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) dedicate this win to the public."

Narendra Modi won with a historic mandate. His campaign was centered around national security and nationalist pride. The main opposition Congress party has been dismantled. Amit Malviya is the head of BJP's IT cell. Social media campaigns were one of the pillars of his victory.

AMIT MALVIYA BJP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CHIEF "With a leader like Mr. Modi at helm, and the kind of government he has delivered in the past 5 years, it wasn't that challenging honestly. But as a political party, constant conversation is something we believe in, and that's how we shaped our conversation and our narrative - not just in our run-up to the election, but over the last 5 years."

SHWETA BAJAJ NEW DELHI "Meanwhile, the clean sweep means Narendra Modi has little time to rest. He has his task set. India's economy is facing a slowdown with high unemployment rates. The success of his foreign policy will be dependent on a strong domestic economy. The challenges will be massive as Modi gets ready for this second term as India's prime minister. Shweta Bajaj, CGTN, New Delhi, India."