article regarding to lok sabha elections 2019
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Now that the fourth phase of the election for India’s Lok Sabha has concluded, the verdict is less than a month away. The election results will decide who will form the next government in the world’s largest democracy. If opinion polls are anything to go by, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks like to retain power only by forming a coalition government following the election.
The recent escalation following the Pulwama attack and subsequent hostile engagement between India and Pakistan has raised the importance of the Indian election in Pakistan. Pakistan will be keenly interested on May 23 whether the BJP will be able to retain its government, even with a coalition of regional parties, or if an anti-BJP alliance will triumph.
From a Pakistani perspective, these Indian elections hold significant importance. Anyone who comes in power in India will affect India’s relationship with Pakistan and the approach that the incoming Indian government takes on all the outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from bilateral engagement, India-Pakistan relations will also structure the future of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), a regional forum for South Asian countries. It is important to remember that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to attend the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad back in 2016, which ultimately led to a regional boycott of the summit. Simultaneously, the Indian election holds significance with regard to recent developments in Afghanistan. In all, the Imran Khan government is keeping a keen eye on the Indian election.