In The Hague on May 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the vibrancy of Indian democracy and the record voter participation recorded in the recent assembly elections across several states and union territories. Speaking at a community event during his five-nation tour, he even joked asking whether “Jhalmuri” — a popular Indian street snack — had made it to the Netherlands, using the moment to emphasize growing civic engagement back home.
Modi highlighted that turnout in the latest polls reached roughly 80–90 percent in many places, with particularly strong increases in women’s participation. “Voting records are being broken every year,” he said, noting that the trend reflects an aspiration-driven strengthening of India’s democratic values.
He pointed to the BJP’s strong performance in the elections, including major wins in West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. In West Bengal’s 2026 assembly contest, the BJP won 207 seats while the Trinamool Congress secured 80, and Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the state’s chief minister — marking the BJP’s first-ever chief minister in West Bengal.
The prime minister linked higher turnout and greater women’s involvement with broader public trust in democratic institutions. When people see their aspirations realized, he argued, their confidence in democracy deepens. Modi reiterated pride in India’s turnout figures and called inclusive participation “a matter of great pride for all of us.”
He also drew attention to the specific states that saw exceptionally high engagement this cycle — including West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry — stressing that enthusiastic voter participation is evident across the country.
Reflecting on the date, Modi recalled May 16, 2014, when Lok Sabha results delivered a decisive mandate to the BJP-led NDA, leading to a stable majority government after years of coalition rule. He said the day held special significance for that reason as well.
On a personal note, the prime minister spoke about his public-life journey and the sense of duty that drives him. He said the trust of millions of citizens keeps him motivated and described his path as moving from an individual focus to collective service — “from ‘I’ to ‘we’,” where people’s happiness and welfare became his responsibility. He also pointed to his long public tenure: 13 years as a chief minister and 12 years as prime minister, totaling over two decades of democratic service.
Modi’s remarks came during a five-nation tour from May 15 to 20; he had visited the United Arab Emirates during the first leg of the trip.
