Rashtrapati Bhavan's Circuit -1 To Remain Closed For Public Till June 9 As BJP Plans NDA Oath Ceremony

Lok Sabha Election Results: The Rashtrapati Bhavan will be closed from June 5th to 9th for the swearing-in ceremony of the council of ministers. The BJP is set to become the single-largest party but will need allies to form a government.

Lok Sabha Election Results: The Rashtrapati Bhavan will be closed to the general public from Wednesday to Sunday due to preparations for the forthcoming swearing-in ceremony of the council of ministers. This was announced in an official statement on Tuesday. "Visit of Rashtrapati Bhavan (Circuit -1) will remain closed for the general public from June 5 to 9, 2024, due to preparation for the forthcoming event of swearing-in-ceremony of the council of ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan," said the statement issued by the President's office.

Circuit-1 offers visitors a tour of the main building, forecourt, reception, Navachara, banquet hall, upper loggia, Lutyens' grand stairs, guest wing, Ashok hall, north drawing room, long drawing room, library, Durbar hall and Lord Buddha statue.

In the wake of the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to become the single-largest party but will fall short of the majority mark of 272 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), however, is expected to cross the magic figure comfortably.

"People have placed their faith in NDA, for a third consecutive time! This is a historical feat in India’s history," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first message after the results were announced. "I bow to the Janata Janardan for this affection and assure them that we will continue the good work done in the last decade to keep fulfilling the aspirations of people," Modi added in his message posted on X.

Despite Modi's optimistic statement, the BJP is expected to reflect on the reasons behind its reduced numbers. The party is projected to win about 240 seats, a significant drop from the 303 it secured in 2019.

PM Modi's '400 Paar' Slogan Backfired? BJP Sees Setback In Uttar Pradesh

Modi's attempt to pivot the election around the opposition's alleged Muslim appeasement and his contentious phrases faced significant criticism. The BJP's manifesto received little attention, while the party's leaders focused attacks on the Congress over its manifesto.

The Prime Minister's slogan "400 paar" aimed to project a grand majority but may have contributed to a sense of complacency among his supporters, while rallying fence-sitters around the opposition's concerns over threats to the Constitution and misuse of investigative agencies.

According to news agency PTI, a BJP leader noted that the party is expected to perform well in several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat. "It will be wrong to interpret the verdict against the party's agenda or its leadership," the leader said. 

However, the party faced a significant setback in Uttar Pradesh, a BJP stronghold since 2014. The party won or was leading in only 33 of the state's 80 seats, a sharp decline from the 62 seats it secured in 2019. This loss has raised concerns about the party's future strategy in the state, particularly under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The issue of unemployment, especially among the youth, also played a role against the BJP in several states, acknowledged party leaders, as per PTI.