"People Wanted Change, Showed It In Their Votes": Shashi Tharoor On Lok Sabha Poll Results

After the Congress registered significant growth from its 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha election numbers, party leader Shashi Tharoor said on Wednesday that people wanted change, and it reflected in the votes.

Mr Tharoor, who contested from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, won the seat for a fourth consecutive term after a neck-and-neck fight with BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Speaking to news agency ANI on his arrival in Delhi for the INDIA bloc meeting, Mr Tharoor said, "I was hoping we would get 100 but we got 99 seats, but one lesser, still it is fine. We will fulfil the faith people have put in us whether it is 100 or 99."

"I am happy, that people wanted change and showed it in their votes. When the exit poll results came, I called it out as not right. The results they said and the ground reality was completely different. We saw what happened when the actual results were announced," he added.

On the INDIA bloc meeting convened today in Delhi, Mr Tharoor said, "Naturally, after the result, everyone will have to meet and I think all the alliance leaders have come to the meeting. Let's see what happens."

He further said that when the new government takes charge they will have to focus on the people's issues including unemployment and inflation.

"Unemployment, inflation, people's earnings..., these are people's problems, and as far as I'm concerned these are the biggest issues in our country. When the Prime Minister and the government assume office, they have to focus on these issues and if not we are there in opposition to remind them," Mr Tharoor said.

A meeting of the opposition coalition, INDIA bloc, is convened in Delhi on Wednesday evening. INC president Mallikarjun Kharge said that leaders of the alliance will be meeting to discuss the election results and strategy thereafter.

Congress' allies including NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, party MP Supriya Sule, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, DMK chief, and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin among others have already arrived in Delhi for the scheduled INDIA bloc meeting.

The counting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was held on Tuesday. According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP won 240 seats, much lower than its 2019 tally of 303. The Congress, on the other hand, registered a strong improvement, winning 99 seats. While the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won 292 seats, the INDIA bloc crossed the 230 mark, posing stiff competition, and defying all predictions.

Earlier in the day, a meeting of the cabinet was held chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that recommended the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha. PM Modi tendered his resignation, along with his Council of Ministers, to President Murmu following the cabinet meeting.

According to sources, PM Modi will take oath for a third time on June 8.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)