<p><img alt="" class="attachment-medium_10 size-medium_10 wp-post-image" height="576" src="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/RTX6TVUY-e1558674721102.jpg?quality=80&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024" width="1024" /></p>

<p>It&rsquo;s curtains for the world&rsquo;s largest election. India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by prime minister Narendra Modi, has <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/asia/live-news/indian-election-latest-may-23-intl/index.html">clinched a second</a> straight sweeping victory, securing 303 of the 543 parliamentary seats. Its principal rival, the Indian National Congress (INC), won only 52.</p>

<p>The BJP&rsquo;s campaign had run into a number of obstacles, including a backlash against religious bigotry, the hangover from demonetisation, and the lingering spectre of unemployment.</p>

<p>Ultimately it triumphed, even strengthening its hold on its key support base.</p>

<h2>BJP&rsquo;s India</h2>

<p>Support for the BJP this year came from India&rsquo;s western and central belts, just as it did in 2014, data from the election commission of India (ECI) show.</p>

<p>Despite the Congress winning assembly elections in the three Hindi heartland states&mdash;Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh&mdash;just five months ago, the BJP was able to <a href="https://qz.com/india/1626103/lok-sabha-votes-bjp-beat-congress-in-chhattisgarh-rajasthan-mp/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">swing voters in its favour</a> by the national elections.</p>

<p>Speculation was rife that India&rsquo;s most populous state, a key reason for the BJP&rsquo;s 2014 win, would turn out to be a downer this time. The party would lose almost 40 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, <a href="https://thewire.in/politics/uttar-pradesh-elections-2019-bjp-sp-bsp-rld" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">some predicted</a>. The party ended up cornering 62.</p>

<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1627190" style="width: 650px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1627190" class="size-hero-m wp-image-1627190" height="360" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" src="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?w=640" srcset="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png 1800w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?resize=768,432 768w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?resize=50,28 50w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?resize=160,90 160w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?resize=320,180 320w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?resize=640,360 640w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?resize=940,529 940w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BJP-2014-election-win-results_mapbuilder.png?resize=1600,900 1600w" width="640" />
<p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-1627190">BJP win in 2014.</p>
</div>

<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1627189" style="width: 650px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1627189" class="size-hero-m wp-image-1627189" height="360" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" src="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?w=640" srcset="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png 1800w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=768,432 768w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=50,28 50w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=160,90 160w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=320,180 320w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=640,360 640w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=940,529 940w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/A-snapshot-BJP-s-victory-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=1600,900 1600w" width="640" />
<p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-1627189">BJP win in 2019.</p>
</div>

<p>In the eastern state of West Bengal, the BJP bettered its tally from a mere two seats in 2014 to a massive 18 this year.</p>

<h2>Congress&rsquo; India</h2>

<p>The Congress trailed far behind the BJP, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/congress-fails-to-open-account-in-17-states-union-territories-bjp-scores-zero-in-four-regions-2042227" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">not even making a dent</a> in 17 states and union territories. However, it made some strides in the south, courtesy the region&rsquo;s distaste for the BJP.</p>

<p>The Hindu nationalist party is oft perceived as a north Indian party with little local connect down south. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Congress&rsquo;s vote share rose in 2019, compared with 2014.</p>

<p>However, the party led by Gandhi has been totally rebuffed by Karnataka. In a dismal showing, it got just one seat this time, as against the 10 five years earlier.</p>

<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1627192" style="width: 650px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1627192" class="size-hero-m wp-image-1627192" height="360" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" src="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?w=640" srcset="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png 1800w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?resize=768,432 768w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?resize=50,28 50w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?resize=160,90 160w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?resize=320,180 320w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?resize=640,360 640w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?resize=940,529 940w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2014-_mapbuilder.png?resize=1600,900 1600w" width="640" />
<p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-1627192">Congress loss in 2014.</p>
</div>

<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_1627191" style="width: 650px"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1627191" class="size-hero-m wp-image-1627191" height="360" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" src="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?w=640" srcset="https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png 1800w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=768,432 768w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=50,28 50w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=160,90 160w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=320,180 320w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=640,360 640w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=940,529 940w, https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Congress-election-results-in-2019_mapbuilder.png?resize=1600,900 1600w" width="640" />
<p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-1627191">Congress loss in 2019.</p>
</div>

<p><em>Read Quartz&rsquo;s coverage of the <a href="https://qz.com/re/indian-election-2019/">2019 Indian general election here</a>.</em></p>