The ruling party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tightened its grip over India’s populous northern belt, results of state elections showed Sunday, expanding its dominance of a key region ahead of general elections in which Mr. Modi is seeking a third term.
The party, which ruled for a majority of India’s history as a republic, has struggled to claw its way back after Mr. Modi rose to national power in 2014.
The Congress party was hoping to use the state elections to build momentum for national elections next spring, but instead lost all three states in which it was pitted against Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P.
The only victory for Congress came against a smaller regional party in Telangana, in India’s south, where Mr. Modi’s Hindu nationalist politics has faced resistance.
The results of elections in a smaller fifth state, Mizoram, are expected on Monday, but the race there is between two smaller regional parties.
Persons:
Narendra Modi, Modi, Modi’s
Organizations:
Indian National Congress, Mr, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress
Locations:
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, India’s, Mizoram