Phase 7 was specifically crafted to secure Modi’s complete focus. The NDA has potential to expand in West Bengal and Odisha.

The longest election in 72 years has concluded with voting in 57 constituencies across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. In three states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal — the election has spanned six intense weeks, unfolding in seven phases with each phase influencing the next. Odisha and Jharkhand saw their fourth and final phase of voting, while Punjab and Himachal Pradesh had their only phase.

The seventh phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections focused on areas where the BJP aimed to boost its seat count. In the 2019 elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured only about half of the seats (30 out of 57) in this phase, while the INDIA bloc won 19, and non-aligned parties won eight. The challenge for the NDA is more significant if we consider the leads in post-2019 Assembly elections, where the INDIA coalition could potentially gain 12 additional seats. However, this phase also presents a significant opportunity for the NDA, particularly in Odisha and potentially in West Bengal.

This final phase, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, appears to have been designed for his focused attention, culminating what was likely intended to be a triumphant political campaign. However, it did not unfold as planned.