Narendra Modi, India's Prime Minister-elect,
has promised to work to "fulfil the dreams of
1.2 billion people" as he addressed his
supporters for the first time after he led his
Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party to a
landslide election victory.
Thousands of his supporters from across his
constituency of Vadodara in western Gujarat
state turned out to hear the 63-year-old
former tea boy who is poised to become prime
minister of the world's second-most populous
nation.
"The heat of the election is over and the
people have given their verdict which says that
we need to take India forward to fulfil the
dreams of India's 1.2 billion people," he said.
"I want to take all of you with me to take this
country forward… it is my responsibility to
take all of you with me to run this country," he
added.
By Friday evening, BJP was winning in enough
seats in the lower house of Parliament to
exceed the 272-seat majority needed to create
a government without forming a coalition with
smaller parties, the Election Commission said.
Full results were expected later in the evening
or by Saturday morning, but Modi's win was all
but assured.
Modi tainted by anti-Muslim violence in his
home state of Gujarat in 2002, told cheering
supporters that "good times are coming".
Critics worry that his rise could worsen
sectarian tensions between India's majority
Hindus and its 138 million Muslims. But in his
victory speech, the BJP leader appeared to
sound inclusive.
"There are no enemies in democracy, there is
only opposition. I will take your love and
convert it into progress before I return," he
said.
For the young Indian voters, the priorities are
jobs and development, which Modi put at the
forefront of his campaign.
The stunning results exceeded all forecasts.
Firecrackers exploded at BJP offices around the
country and sweets were handed out in
celebrations that began only a few hours after
the first figures filtered out.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called
Modi to congratulate him on the victory,
Singh's office said in a Tweet.
Congress concedes defeat
The outcome was a crushing defeat for the
Congress party, which is deeply entwined with
the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty that has
been at the centre of Indian politics for most
of the country's post-independence history.
Friday's partial results showed Congress
leading in only 42 seats, its worst showing
ever.
The leaders of Congress party, Sonia and Rahul
Gandhi, admitted personal responsibility for
the disastrous election results.
"We understand that victory and loss is part of
democracy," party president Sonia told
reporters in New Delhi.
"We respect this decision. I take responsibility
for this defeat," she said.
Al Jazeera's Sohail Rahman, reporting from
New Delhi, said: "Modi has taken the pains to
tell the community-at-large that everyone will
prosper under his government."
"It is inevitable that countries like Bangladesh
and Pakistan will be eyeing this very carefully,"
he said.
Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder reporting from
Islamabad, said there is are some fears from
the Pakistani side, but the Pakistan Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he is looking
forward to a positive relationship.
"Even though there is optimism things will
move forward, there are apprehnsions," Hyder
said.
There was a record turnout in the elections,
with 66.38 percent of the 814 million eligible
voters casting ballots during several stages of
the six-week ballot. Turnout in the 2009
elections was 58.13 percent.
"In the history of independent India, no
political party has defeated the Congress party
with such a wide margin," BJP President
Rajnath Singh told a news conference in New
Delhi.
At one point on Friday, the benchmark Sensex
stock index rose as much as 6.1 percent on
news of the BJP's strong showing before
closing 0.9 percent higher than Thursday.
There is widespread dissatisfaction with the
ruling Congress Party, which has been plagued
by repeated corruption scandals. The BJP made
promises of economic growth and better
governance in a well-financed campaign.
