Friday, bringing to power a man whose controversial past at one point led the United States to deny him a visa.
Official results were expected late Friday.
Viewed as pro-business, Modi, 63, has pledged reforms to revive the nation's flagging economy.
But his past is not
without controversy. Throughout his campaign, his relationship with the
country's huge Muslim minority came under scrutiny.
In 2002, Gujarat state was wracked with anti-Muslim violence, in which more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.
Modi, the state's chief
minister, was criticized for not doing enough to halt the violence, but a
Supreme Court-ordered investigation absolved him of blame last year.
Manmohan Singh, India's
outgoing Prime Minister, will tender his resignation to the nation's
President on Saturday, said Singh's spokesman, Pankaj Pachauri. The
Prime Minister's official Twitter account said Singh had called Modi to
congratulate him on his "party's victory."
Analysts predict his
arrival in India's top office will bring a marked change in direction
for the world's most populous democracy, a nation whose modern character
has been defined by the defeated Indian National Congress Party, which
has been dominant since the country's independence in 1947.
Modi's victory had long
been anticipated, as polls indicated a slump in support for the ruling
Congress Party, which has been dogged by high-profile corruption
scandals amid stubborn inflation and a slowed economy.
Congress Party spokesman Randeep Surjewala told CNN, "Trends indicate a victory for the opposition alliance.
"We bow before the
wishes of the people of India with all humility. We will continue to
play the role assigned to us. We will try with greater vigor and
determination to work with the large populace of this country."
Modi's relationship with the rest of the world
The United States denied
Modi a visa over the anti-Muslim violence in 2005, suggesting a
strained relationship between the U.S. and India's next Prime Minister.
Before the election,
U.S. State Department had not said what it would do when Modi applies
for a visa in the future, but reiterated that India is an important
partner.
"We don't talk about
visa applications," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said this
week. "We're looking forward to working with the new Indian government
when they're elected."
On Friday, three State
Department officials told CNN that Modi will be given a visa to the
United States once he takes office and forms a government.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry congratulated Modi, saying in a tweet that he looks forward to "growing shared prosperity."
The tensions between
Modi and the United States in the past could have an impact on relations
during his term, said Arati Jerath, an analyst and journalist in India.
"There is a feeling that
Narendra Modi will be much more pro-China than pro-U.S., and that could
be rooted to the fact that he's had this tension with the United States
over his visa, whereas the Chinese laid out the red carpet for him,"
Jerath said.
Modi's ascent to the national stage
Celebrations broke out
as updates from the five-week-long election were released throughout the
day. Modi's supporters sang, danced, played music, threw flowers and
even brought elephants into the mix as initial results indicated a huge
lead for the BJP. Supporters celebrated outside the party's office and
in the streets in Gujarat, where Modi has served as chief minister since
2001.
He tweeted: "Good days are here to come."
Source: CNN
No comments:
Post a Comment