Modi's Target of 370: Feasible or Fiction?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized on Saturday that the target of achieving 370 Lok Sabha seats should not be seen merely as a number.

He underscored that it should serve as a tribute to Shyam Prasad Mookerjee, who campaigned against Article 370 and advocated for the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir into India.

However, achieving this ambitious goal poses a significant challenge, especially considering that even if Narendra Modi regains all the seats he won in 2019, securing an additional 67 seats seems daunting.

The Congress Party, under Jawaharlal Nehru, secured 364 seats in the first general elections, a record that Modi aims to surpass. By associating the target with Article 370, Modi aims to inspire party workers and the cadre.

With the BJP currently holding 290 seats in the Lok Sabha, achieving the target of 370 seats would require securing an additional 80 seats. However, several factors complicate this endeavor.

In states and union territories where the BJP won all seats in 2019, such as Gujarat, Haryana, and Delhi, there is limited scope for increasing the tally.

Similarly, in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka, where the BJP won most seats, the potential for significant gains is limited.

Furthermore, in states where the BJP did not win any seats in the last election, such as Sikkim and Lakshadweep, securing victories poses a challenge, given the party's previous performance.

Additionally, in states like Assam, Bihar, and Maharashtra, where the BJP performed well in 2019, winning all seats is uncertain.

In South India, except for Karnataka, where the BJP made some gains, the party faced significant setbacks in states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Winning seats in these regions remains a formidable task.

While Narendra Modi expressed confidence that the NDA will surpass 400 seats, achieving this feat would require substantial contributions from allies.

With allies currently holding 46 seats and three independents also part of the NDA, ensuring their victory in at least 49 seats becomes crucial to realizing Modi's vision.

However, the outcome remains uncertain, and the road to achieving the target of 370 seats is fraught with challenges.