TNL News Network
According to the latest trends from the Election Commission (EC) in the 542 Lok Sabha seats, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has crossed the halfway mark, leading on 295 seats. Of these, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 238 seats and has already won one seat. The Opposition bloc, INDIA, is leading in 230 seats, with its key allies like the Samajwadi Party (SP) leading in 33 seats and Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead in 29 seats.
Notable leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, contesting from Varanasi, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, contesting from Rae-Bareli, are both leading in their respective constituencies. Rahul Gandhi is also leading in Wayanad.
In the Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is leading in 35 seats, while its ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), is leading in two seats. On the other hand, Samajwadi Party is leading on 34 seats, according to the initial EC trends.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA secured 353 seats, with BJP winning 303. The Opposition, under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), got only 93 seats, with Congress winning 52.
The election witnessed an estimated 642 million voters over seven phases, with strict security measures in place for vote counting. Along with the Lok Sabha results, vote counting for state legislative assemblies in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and other regions, as well as bypolls, is also underway.
The NDA, particularly the BJP, is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the INDIA bloc is contesting to form the next government. Exit polls had largely predicted a continued term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with some projecting a two-thirds majority for the BJP-led NDA. The opposition, however, has dismissed these predictions, asserting they will be the next government.
Already, the BJP claimed victory in Surat, where Mukesh Dalal won unopposed. The nomination of Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected due to discrepancies in the signatures of his proposers.
