Nagpur: Riding on a massive saffron surge sweeping through most parts of India, the BJP-led NDA Government looks set to become the only non-Congress government to return to power in the Indian history. The alliance has taken a massive lead over the Congress-led UPA. According to the latest trends, the alliance has crossed the majority mark of 272 and is racing towards 350 seats mark out of the total 542 Lok Sabha seats. NDA had won 336 seats in 2014 polls, in which BJP had garnered 282 seats. NDA was leading in 340 seats while UPA 99 and others were leading in 103 seats.
As predicted in exit polls, BJP has made handsome gains in West Bengal and has managed to thwart the threats from BSP-SP Mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh. The saffron wave not only swept through the Hindi heartland and Gujarat, but also ripped through West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Only Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh appeared untouched. Even in Telangana, the BJP was ahead in four seats, the same as the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
Rahul Gandhi trails in Amethi:
Congress President Rahul Gandhi fought his toughest battle yet in Amethi, the constituency in Uttar Pradesh that he has been winning effortlessly since 2004, as votes were counted on Thursday for the national election. He was trailing Smriti Irani of the BJP in one of the most crushing blows for the Congress in this election. Rahul Gandhi is also contesting from Wayanad in Kerala, where he is leading.
But losing Amethi will be seen as a huge loss of face for the 48-year-old politician, whose leadership of the Congress is also being called to question after the party’s defeat.
“India wins yet again,” roars Modi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “India wins yet again” with his party, the BJP, set for a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections. Leads show that the BJP will again get a clear majority on its own by winning over 300 seats, which is better than the 282 seats it had won in the 2014 general elections.
“Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! #VijayiBharat,” PM Modi tweeted this evening.
BJP itself has crossed majority mark. BJP workers went into the celebratory mode as soon as NDA crossed the majority mark in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. BJP workers were seen dancing on dhol beats at the party headquarters in Delhi.
Maharashtra:
The trends suggest that the Congress is losing big in the state of Maharashtra. The party could not even manage to maintain the leads on any of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Congress strongman and MPCC President Ashok Chavan was trailing by over 40,000 votes in Nanded. Ashok Chavan who was one a few candidates who withheld in Modi wave in 2014 elections is trailing behind Prataprao Patil of BJP in Nanded constituency.
Baramati has been the bastion Pawar family for years. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar himself had held the seat of Baramati for more than three terms and has also been union minister. His daughter Supriya, it seems scrambled home after trailing initially. Sharad Pawar has also faced a lot of criticism after the candidature of his grandson Parth was declared from Maval. He is trailing while Shrirang Barne of Shiv Sena is leading in Maval.
In Mumbai, BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is leading in all six seats.
