“Temporary Structure”: TMC MP Claims INDIA Going To Be 240 Soon
TMC MP Saket Gokhale recently stirred political waters with his statement on X, claiming that as of now, the numbers in the Lok Sabha are BJP: 240 and INDIA: 237. He further asserted that three BJP MPs in West Bengal are in touch with the opposition and hinted at a surprise soon, which would change the numbers to BJP: 240 and INDIA: 240. Gokhale described Modi’s coalition as a “temporary structure” that he believes will not last long.
This statement comes after Narendra Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister for a historic third consecutive term last Sunday. Despite exit polls predicting a sweeping victory of 300-400 seats for BJP, the party managed to secure only 240 seats, falling short of the 272 needed for a majority. Consequently, BJP had to rely on its allies to form the government. In contrast, the opposition INDIA bloc won 234 seats, later boosted by the support of three independent MPs from Sangli, Ladakh, and Purnia, bringing their total to 237.
The NDA coalition comprises BJP’s 240 seats, along with 16 from Telugu Desam Party (TDP), 12 from Janata Dal (United) – JD(U), 7 from Shiv Sena, 5 from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) – LJPRV, 2 from Janasena Party – JnP, 2 from Janata Dal (Secular) – JD(S), and 2 from Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), among others.
The recent elections were a mixed bag for both major alliances. While the NDA maintained strongholds in urban centers, the INDIA bloc gained significant traction in rural areas. Major upset from the BJP-led NDA alliance came from Uttar Pradesh where the INDIA bloc emerged victorious in 43 seats.
BJP’s expected dominance was curtailed by rising youth unemployment in rural areas. Despite welfare benefits like cash transfers and subsidized cooking gas, the rural cost of living surged faster than in cities, mainly due to increased food prices. This issue overshadowed the economic growth rate of 8.2% during 2023-24, with insufficient job creation driving migration to urban centers.
Additionally, a NITI Aayog report earlier this year highlighted that while nearly 25 crore people were lifted out of poverty during Modi’s decade in power, India’s poverty rate still stands at 11%. The report also pointed out that multidimensional poverty—encompassing income, education, and basic infrastructure—remains significantly higher in rural areas compared to urban regions.
As of today, the numbers in the Lok Sabha are
BJP: 240
INDIA: 2373 BJP MPs in West Bengal are in touch with us & there will be a nice surprise soon.
After that,
BJP: 240
INDIA: 240Modi’s creaky coalition is a temporary structure which isn’t going to last very long.
— Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) June 11, 2024
