India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has scored a landslide victory within the western state of Gujarat, election outcomes confirmed on Thursday, in a powerful efficiency forward of the final elections due in 2024.

The Hindu nationalist BJP retained its 27-year control of Gujarat – the house state of Modi – however misplaced energy in northern Himachal Pradesh state to the primary opposition, the Congress Party.

The BJP has not misplaced state meeting elections in Gujarat, a western industrial state, since 1995. Modi was Gujarat’s high elected official for 13 years earlier than changing into prime minister in 2014.

Modi has usual himself as a champion of Hindu causes after the lethal 2002 Gujarat riots – one of many worst outbreaks of spiritual violence since India’s independence in 1947. Rights teams say almost 2,000 individuals – most of them Muslims – have been killed and dozens of girls have been raped that yr following the burning of a passenger prepare carrying a lot of Hindu pilgrims.

The BJP has been accused of utilizing religious polarisation to acquire Hindu votes. The Modi authorities facilitated the release of Hindus convicted of gang rape through the 2002 riots simply forward of the state elections.

In a number of experiences in Indian media, individuals within the state expressed that rising inflation and unemployment have been points within the state, however Modi’s towering character and the anti-Muslim sentiment most likely colored their voting choice.

‘Brazen articulation of Hindu votes’

Ajay Gudavarthy, who teaches political science at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, informed Al Jazeera that the BJP’s comfy win in Gujarat reveals a deeper consolidation of the Hindu vote.

Gudavarthy mentioned, “There is now a brazen articulation of Hindu votes for the BJP” throughout the nation.

“Even popular leaders from the opposition are losing once the Hindu card is coming to play. One must concede that the [Hindu] sentiment is very deep,” he mentioned.

With vote counting persevering with into Thursday, India’s Election Commission mentioned the BJP had gained 142 out of the 182 seats within the state meeting and was main in 14 different constituencies. The rival Congress Party had gained 16 and was main in one other constituency, whereas a brand new group, the Aam Admi Party, gained 5 seats.

The Congress Party wrested energy from the BJP in Himachal Pradesh state, the place it had gained 39 out of 68 seats and was main in one other constituency, in opposition to the BJP’s 19 seats, the Election Commission mentioned.

The BJP additionally misplaced a key election on Wednesday for management of the municipal company within the capital metropolis of New Delhi to the regional Aam Admi Party, after main it for 15 straight years, the fee mentioned.

Voting happened in Gujarat on December 1 and 5, and in Himachal on November 12.

Vote counting started on Thursday morning, and full outcomes are anticipated later within the day.

Experts say the beautiful victory within the western state would bolster the BJP’s reputation forward of normal elections scheduled for the summer time of 2024, through which Modi is eyeing a 3rd time period as prime minister.

Modi and his closest aide, house minister Amit Shah, had campaigned aggressively for the BJP in Gujarat for almost a month, holding a number of rallies and roadshows.

“Thank you, Gujarat. I am overcome with a lot of emotions seeing the phenomenal election results,” Modi tweeted on Thursday. “People blessed politics of development and at the same time expressed a desire that they want this momentum to continue at a greater pace.”

‘Safety is our only concern’

Muslims, who comprise almost 10 % of Gujarat’s 60 million inhabitants, face rising hatred and institutionalised discrimination in what is taken into account India’s most communally polarised state.

Kaleem Siddiqui, a minority rights activist in Gujarat’s most important metropolis of Ahmedabad, informed Al Jazeera the BJP ran an in depth anti-Muslim marketing campaign to garner votes within the state polls.

“The voting has been done using a communal angle. There is no Muslim representation in politics. We don’t have a voice, and the government wants to suppress us further in a polarised environment,” he mentioned.

“The Muslim minorities have accepted the federal government shouldn’t be for us. We don’t even have any expectations from the federal government. Our concern has at all times been our security.

“The hatred has been expanded by the BJP in the last five years, from urban to rural areas. We are really worried about this,” he mentioned.

Yagnesh Dave, spokesman for the BJP in Gujarat, mentioned his social gathering has gained even in “Muslim areas” the place the Congress Party had beforehand gained.

“People have chosen us. It shows that Muslims are also supporting us,” he informed Al Jazeera.

However, he mentioned the social gathering’s election manifesto has promised to create so-called “anti-radicalisation cells” which he mentioned was “to eliminate potential threats and anti-India forces”.

The formation of a activity pressure to scrutinise the curriculum in Muslim colleges throughout the state was additionally within the manifesto, Dave added.

“The anti-radicalisation task force is being created to check ‘love jihad’ and protect Hindus,” he informed Al Jazeera, referring to the Hindu far-right conspiracy concept that believes Muslim males lure Hindu ladies into marriage to transform them to Islam.

The Congress Party, which managed the politics of the South Asian nation for many years, has struggled to make a comeback. One of its high leaders, Rahul Gandhi, is at the moment holding a Bharat Jodo Yatra (India Unity March), a cross-country stroll the social gathering says is geared toward addressing the hatred and divisions in society.

The 3,500km (2,175-mile) march on foot began within the southern state of Tamil Nadu in September and is scheduled to succeed in Indian-administered Kashmir in February.