Elections '24
Modi's BJP-led NDA eyes third term with a weaker number and strings as INDIA bloc shines
New Delhi/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming for a rare third consecutive term at the Centre but on the crutches of its NDA alliance partners, even as the Opposition INDIA Bloc puts up a strong fight to the ruling camp riding on the gains in BJP stronghold states like Uttar Pradesh.
As the counting progressed, the NDA was leading in around 294 seats (short of 300 still) while the INDIA Bloc was ahead in 233 seats.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP, so far going by the trends, is trailing behind Samajwadi Party-Congress combine which is leading in 42 seats as opposed to BJP's 35.
Interestingly, Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 seats, played a significant role in Modi's wins in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who quite unexpectedly trailed in a particular round, is back in the lead by over 30,000 votes in Varanasi.
Modi's colleague in the government, Smriti Irani, who defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in 2019, is trailing in the seat.
Rahul Gandhi is winning from both Wayanad and Rae Bareli.
BJP's star candidate, actress-turned politician Kangana Ranaut is leading from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi.
In West Bengal, where BJP had hoped to emerge as the single largest party, TMC seems to be proving all exit polls wrong as it is leading in around 30 of 42 seats reducing the saffron camp to a single digit.
However, the BJP has managed to hold its ground in its bastion, 29 of 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 25 of 26 seats in Gujarat, 10 of 11 in Chhattisgarh, 7 of 7 seats in Delhi.
In Haryana, Congress is leading in 6 out of 10 seats while BJP is leading in 4 out of 4 seats in Himachal Pradesh.
The majority mark is 272. If NDA forms the government, Modi will be the first Prime Minister to secure a consecutive third term in power after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
The elections were held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.
Bloodbath in Sensex
As Modi's '400 par' slogan seems to be falling flat with the BJP stopping short of 272-mark, Sensex witnessed a bloodbath.
BSE Sensex is witnessing a tumble by over 5,000 points as the close contest between the NDA-INDIA continues.
NIFTY50 was down by almost 5 percent as the counting process is still on.
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