Modi 3.0 likely but INDIA halts NDA's '400 paar'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking at a third straight term as trends show the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leading on 296 seats; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alone was leading on 241 seats. At the same time, the emerging trends have thrown up a surprise, with the opposition (INDIA) outperforming the low expectations set by exit polls. The biggest setback for the BJP came from Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 legislators to the Lok Sabha.
Wins for the BJP, Congress
A total of 114 BJP candidates have won seats in their respective constituencies so far, including Jaipur, Varanasi, Nagpur, and Bangalore Central seats. PM Modi won from Varanasi, while BJP candidate Manju Sharma defeated Congress candidate Pratap Singh Khachariyawas in the Jaipur constituency in Rajasthan. Other BJP winners include Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar and Anurag Singh Thakur from Hamirpur. Congress winners include Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat and Charanjit Singh Channi from Jalandhar.
Candidates conceded defeats
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also won the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time after the BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar conceded defeat. Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, conceded defeat in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat. Before Mufti, National Conference leader and former J&K CM Omar Abdullah conceded defeat in Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency against independent candidate Engineer Rashid.
Counting of votes for assembly elections in Odisha, Andhra
The counting of votes for assembly elections in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh is also underway. In Andhra Pradesh, the Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won a whopping 85 of the 175 assembly seats and is leading in 49 seats. In Odisha, the BJP has taken a lead over the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD). As per the election commission's party-wise results, the BJP has won 37 of the 147 assembly seats and is leading in 41.
Exit polls predict Modi 3.0
At least 12 exit polls—released on Saturday—predicted a big win for the ruling BJP-led NDA, with PM Modi expected to secure a third straight term. Certain pollsters have suggested that the NDA could surpass the 400-seat mark—a goal highlighted by the party's "ab ki baar 400 par" slogan. The polls predict that opposition bloc—the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance—will secure around 130-160 seats. To be sure, exit polls are not always accurate.
1.5 crore polling, security personnel involved in Lok Sabha polls
The extensive electoral process spanned six weeks and seven phases and started on April 19, followed by phases on April 26, May 7, May 20, May 25, and June 1. According to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, over 68,000 monitoring teams and 1.5 crore polling and security personnel were involved in the world's largest electoral exercise. The CEC also said that only 39 repolls took place in 2024 general elections as against 540 repolls in 2019.
