Oslo, May 6 — Former Norwegian environment minister Erik Solheim praised the resilience of Indian democracy after recent state election results, commending voter participation and the conduct of polls while criticizing Western media narratives about India.
In a post on X, Solheim lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and described the BJP’s state-election performance as a “big victory.” He said the West should draw inspiration from India rather than view it with suspicion, arguing that democracies in the United States and Europe are facing challenges and could learn from India’s experience.
Solheim highlighted the exceptionally high turnout in some areas—more than 90%—noting that participation far exceeded typical levels seen in many European and American elections. He drew attention to West Bengal’s electorate of roughly 106 million people, larger than the population of several EU countries, and urged Western media to reconsider portrayals of Modi as a threat to democracy or his policies as “Hindu extremism.” He stressed that India’s democratic system is rooted in its own traditions and history, not merely a transplant of Western models.
He also pointed to orderly voting, widespread turnout including in remote regions, minimal violence, and robust exercise of free speech across the country during the polls.
Reflecting on trends since the 2024 parliamentary elections, Solheim said some Western outlets had prematurely declared a downturn in Modi’s influence after a weaker-than-expected performance. Since then, he noted, the BJP has won state contests in Odisha, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and now Assam and West Bengal. “What a revenge!” he wrote, urging the West to look to India for inspiration at a time when some Western democracies struggle to deliver.
Solheim’s post called for appreciation of the strength of Indian democracy, reiterating that the BJP’s recent state wins and the extraordinary voter turnout demonstrate the vitality of the country’s political system.
Election details cited in the post show a major BJP surge in West Bengal, where the party won 206 of 294 assembly seats, up from 77 previously; the Trinamool Congress, which held 212 seats before, finished with 80 and led in one constituency. In Assam, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance secured a third successive assembly victory and exceeded the 100-seat mark in the 126-member house: the BJP won 82 seats, while allies Bodoland Peoples Front (BoPF) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) won 10 seats each.
This report is based on a syndicated feed and is published as received.
