Leaders of several countries, including neighbours China and Sri Lanka and Israel, on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was on its way to increase its majority as votes were being counted for the Lok Sabha elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party was set to return to power as vote count showed that along with its allies it was leading more than 340 of the 542 Lok Sabha seats that went to polls in seven phases, pushing the Congress to 95 seats. The BJP alone is leading in 291 seats, well over the halfway mark of 272, and if the party wins all of these, it will improve upon its tally of 282 in the last general election.
China’s Xi Jinping congratulated Modi and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe called him to extend his wishes as he led the BJP towards a resounding victory for a second term in office. King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck also called the Prime Minister.
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Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, who won a record fourth term as prime minister last month, congratulated Modi in Hebrew as well as Hindi on social media. Congratulating his friend in Hebrew, Hindi and English, Netanyahu wished to strengthen ties between his country and India.
“Congratulations, my friend @Narendramodi, on your impressive election victory! The election results further reaffirm your leadership of the world’s largest democracy. Together we will continue to strengthen the great friendship between India & Israel. Well done, my friend!” Netanyahu tweeted.
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Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and main opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa also tweeted their congratulations to Modi.
“Congratulations on your victory and the people’s re-endorsement of your leadership,” Sirisena said in a tweet.
“I have immense pleasure in extending to you my warmest congratulations and sincere best wishes on the victory of the BJP,” Wickremesinghe said.
“Heartfelt best wishes and congratulations,” Rajapaksa said in his message.
The island country’s finance minister Mangala Samaraweera interrupted his speech in parliament to offer congratulations to Prime Minister Modi. Several other Sri Lankan lawmakers offered their best wishes to the Indian leader.
Afghanistan’s president Ashraf Ghani posted his wishes to Modi on Twitter.
“Congratulations to PM @narendramodi on a strong mandate from the people of India. The government and the people of Afghanistan look forward to expanding cooperation between our two democracies in pursuit of regional cooperation, peace and prosperity for all of South Asia,” he wrote.
Nepalese prime minister KP Sharma Oli also took to Twitter to congratulate Modi on his massive victory.
“I extend warmest congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi ji for landslide election victory in the Lok Sabha Elections 2019. I wish all success ahead. I look forward to working closely with you. #PMOIndia,” Oli wrote.
First Published:
May 23, 2019 15:24 IST
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