Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: Key issues that may have influenced the way Indians voted
Jun 4, 2024
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High unemployment rates
Every year, millions of young Indians enter the labour market, but successive governments have failed to provide enough jobs, especially in the formal sectors. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) threatening to take over even the scarce high-paying jobs, the job market has remained gloomy. As per data, over 16% of urban youth aged 15 to 29 remained unemployed in 2022-23 due to weak skills and a lack of suitable jobs.
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Food inflation
Since November 2023, food inflation has risen by more than 8% on average. With sections of the country experiencing heatwaves, food prices continue to pose an additional danger to India's inflation trajectory, as per a recent RBI bulletin.
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Economic policies
Although India's growth is exceeding that of other major economies across the world, its massive unorganised sector — small businesses that represent the country's backbone — continues to suffer. The economic dichotomy is evident by the fact that stock markets have continued to surpass all time high, while wages across most sectors have remained stagnant. The ruling party credits its policy reforms for the sustained growth in GDP, while the opposition claims that these policies have made the common people poorer.
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Religious polarisation
The ruling party has been accused of trying to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra, while the opposition has been accused of appeasing the minorities. The inauguration of the contested Ram Mandir in Ayodhya brought the issue to the forefront earlier this year, followed by a series of provocative statements and speeches across the political spectrum.
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Water scarcity
El Niño conditions resulted in poor monsoons in 2023, sparking water shortages and drought-like conditions in many parts of India. Major districts like Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai are just some places suffering from the consequences of insufficient rainfall, driving food prices up and stoking frustration among voters.
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Infrastructural development
The Indian economy's rapid rise in recent years has increased the demand for physical infrastructure such as electricity, trains, roads, airports, irrigation, and so on. However, the government is having a tough time keeping up with these demands despite rapid expansion in the infrastructural allocation and implementation over the past decade.
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International relations
India is also a major rising political and military power in the world. However, its complicated relations with neighbouring countries like Pakistan and China have remained a cause of concern for the masses.
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Climate change impacts
The onslaught of various weather events and climate change has India battling unprecedented heatwaves, droughts, and floods, underscoring the urgent need for climate action. The record mercury levels during the election days are also reported to have affected the voter turnout numbers in most constituencies across India.
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