Lok Sabha 2024 results: NDA didn't lose too many to lose, INDIA bloc didn't win enough to win

The BJP capturing 10 out of 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state on Tuesday, six months after easily defeating the Congress in the Chhattisgarh assembly polls. The number of seats for the Congress fell from two in 2019 to one this year, with even prominent leader and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel losing.

Following the conclusion of the Jammu and Kashmir vote counting by the Election Commission, the BJP and the National Conference secured two seats each out of the five seats that were up for grabs. With the victory of an Independent candidate, the PDP of former chief minister Mehbooba Muft was reduced to zero seats.

With 273 Lok Sabha seats now declared won by NDA candidates, the coalition hopes to form the government at the center for a record third time. After counting, the BJP-led alliance is predicted to secure at least 290 seats, with roughly 20 more seats still to be decided. The “historic feat” was described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to party workers at the BJP headquarters, he added that the world’s largest democracy’s triumph was the mandate.

According to the Election Commission website, the BJP dominated New Delhi for the third time in a row, taking all seven Lok Sabha seats: South Delhi, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Northeast, East Delhi, West Delhi, and North-West Delhi.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which took place against the backdrop of the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Valley-based Meiteis and the Hills-based Scheduled Tribe Kuki-Zo people, the people of Manipur voted out the BJP and its ally, the Naga People’s Front, from the Inner and Outer Manipur constituencies, respectively. This resulted in the Congress candidates winning handily in these seats.

With 292 seats, the NDA hopes to regain power for the third time in a row after more than 14 hours of counting. After putting up an unexpected tough fight, the INDIA bloc has notched up 232 seats, defying the predictions of all exit polls.

The BJP has taken control of or is leading in 240 of the 292 seats, well short of the 272 needed to secure majority in the Parliament. Nonetheless, the BJP-led NDA alliance will continue to hold steady and powerful power at the center thanks to the backing of the TDP and JD(U).

Following the results of the Lok Sabha election, the leaders of the INDIA group will convene at the home of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday evening to determine their next course of action, including whether to approach their erstwhile partners Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu for the government formation.

In contrast to its national performance, the Bharatiya Janata Party is on track for an almost complete sweep in Uttarakhand, which is reminiscent of its outstanding results in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.

All five seats are currently held by the BJP, including the three in which it has fielded incumbent Members of Parliament.

The BJP’s performance in Uttarakhand is encouraging since it seems like it would lose a significant number of seats in this election.

The party is leading in 239, which is noticeably short of a simple majority of 273. The party is seeking an ambitious third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has been targeting 370 seats on its own throughout India and 400+ with its other National Democratic Alliance partners.

According to Election Commission figures, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its allies were ready to sweep all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu, with neither the BJP nor the AIADMK ahead in any constituency by Tuesday night.

Prominent Dalit leader and VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, senior Congress leader S Jothimani, and DMK veterans Kanimozhi, A Raja, T R Baalu, and Dayanidhi Maran were all expected to win.

But in Coimbatore, BJP state president and fiery leader Annamalai, regarded as one of the party’s strongest candidates in the state, was losing to DMK contender Ganapathy Rajkumar by more than one lakh votes.

For the first time in twenty years, the JD(S) lost to Congress candidate Shreyas M Patil by 43,738 votes, leaving the party’s bastion of Hassan behind. Prajwal Revanna, the current MP, is being held under custody for alleged sexual assault.

The son of former PWD minister and Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, Prajwal is the grandson of prime minister H D Deve Gowda. He was taken into jail by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on May 31 and would remain there until June 6. One day after Hassan’s election on April 27, he had departed the nation. Two days prior to the election, hundreds of thumb drives purportedly carrying 2,900 pornographic videos—many of which the MP himself had recorded—had been dispersed across Hassan.

Even though the BJP is not winning a majority on its own, it is still the single-largest party this election, poised to bag 240 seats.

It will now need its allies to form the government. Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) could play a key role in making that happen.

Nitish Kumar is expected to reach Delhi on Wednesday morning to handover letter of support to PM Modi.

Chandrababu Naidu is also expected to land in Delhi by Wednesday afternoon to handover letter of support. Chandrababu Naidu has officially declared support to PM Modi for government formation.

With the BJP vying for a third consecutive term at the Centre, it would be looking at its allies to fulfill its goal. All eyes are now on Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal (United) or JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar, who could very well be the kingmakers in these general elections.

With Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s track of several flip flops in recent years, the BJP and even the INDIA bloc might try to woo him. The JD(U) is currently a part of the BJP-led NDA.

As per the latest trends released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the BJP and its ally JD(U) are winning 12 seats each out of the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar.

The saffron party has clinched eight seats and is leading in four, while Nitish’s party is ahead in six seats and has won six more. The NDA partner, Lok Janshakti Party(Ram Vilas), seems to be securing all five seats it contested.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented on the results of the election in Jammu and Kashmir, saying, “Jammu and Kashmir voters have shown unprecedented enthusiasm by voting in record numbers. They have also served as a mirror for those who want to discredit the country. I honor the folks who have achieved this accomplishment.”

While addressing the gathering PM Modi said “We (NDA) will not stop until poverty is eliminated in the country. We will not stop until our defence sector is self-reliant.” “To make India the world’s third-biggest economy, the NDA government will leave no stone unturned. We must hit hard on corruption if we want to move ahead. But the reality is that fighting against corruption is becoming difficult with time,” he added.

During his address PM Modi delivered his vision for NDA 3.0. “We will not stop until poverty is eliminated in the country. We will not stop until our defence sector is self-reliant,” PM Modi averred. “We have shown the mettle in the last 10 years to make big decisions. We have been running the world’s biggest welfare schemes. We have implemented reforms such as GST and banking. t is the first election after my mother’s demise, we kept the nation first,” he added.

#WATCH | PM Modi begins his address to BJP workers with chants of "Jai Jagannath"

BJP has swept Odisha Assembly elections. pic.twitter.com/sST73dV5JK

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal congratulated PM Modi on the election win. “Congratulations to PM @narendramodi on the electoral success of BJP and NDA in the Loksabha elections for the third consecutive term. We are happy to note the successful completion of the world’s largest democratic exercise with enthusiastic participation of the people of India,” Prachanda wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.  

Congratulations to PM @narendramodi on the electoral success of BJP and NDA in the Loksabha elections for the third consecutive term. We are happy to note the successful completion of the world’s largest democratic exercise with enthusiastic participation of the people of India.

— ☭ Comrade Prachanda (@cmprachanda) June 4, 2024

While addressing a charged-up gathering PM Modi said that “a win for NDA is a won for democracy”. “In J&K people voted in record numbers and showed a mirror to our detractors trying to defame our country. For the first time since 1962, a government has come back to power for the third consecutive time which is a remarkable achievement,” he said.

“In J&K people voted in record numbers and showed a mirror to our detractors trying to defame our country. For the first time since 1962, a government has come back to power for the third consecutive time which is a remarkable achievement,” the premier furthered.

PM Modi mentioned that today NDA won on the auspicious day of Bada Mandal. “I want to tell the people and opinion-makers that India’s vibrant democracy is a matter of pride. Today is Bada Mangal and on this auspicious day, NDA is set to form the government for the third consecutive time,” the Prime Minister averred.

“We are all very grateful to the people. The countrymen have expressed full faith in the BJP and the NDA,” he added.

During his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded for ensuring transparency in the polls. “The ECI should be congratulated for conducting a flawless election under extreme weather conditions,’ he said. “We are grateful to the people for retaining their faith on NDA,” he added.

Chants of ‘Bharat Mataa ki Jai’ engulfed the skies as PM Modi addressed the party workers at the BJP headquarters. “This is the victory of democracy. This is victory of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’. It is a victory of 140 crore people,” he said.

After winning in both Wayanad and Raebareli constituencies, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi thanked his supporters in a video message.

बेशुमार मोहब्बत देने के लिए वायनाड और रायबरेली की जनता का बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद।

अगर मेरे बस में होता, तो मैं दोनों ही जगह का सांसद बने रहना पसंद करता। pic.twitter.com/Hke2ecdGki

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 4, 2024

UP CM Yogi Adiyanath took to Twitter to laud NDA’s thundering victory. “The people of India have given a clear majority to the NDA for the third consecutive time. NDA has received absolute majority mandate in Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. This is a stamp of trust of the people of the country on the policies, leadership and decisions of the respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji,” he wrote on X. “Hearty congratulations to all the winning candidates. Thanks to all the hard-working workers and office bearers of the BJP-NDA alliance who came together with a feeling of family and gratitude to the public! Long live Mother India,” the UP CM furthered.  

भारत की जनता-जनार्दन ने लगातार तीसरी बार NDA को स्पष्ट बहुमत प्रदान किया है।

अरुणाचल प्रदेश, ओडिशा और आंध्र प्रदेश में NDA को पूर्ण बहुमत का जनादेश प्राप्त हुआ है।

यह आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी की नीति, नेतृत्व और निर्णयों पर देश की जनता के विश्वास की मुहर है।…

— Yogi Adityanath (मोदी का परिवार) (@myogiadityanath) June 4, 2024

While addressing the party worker, BJP’s party president JP Nadda took jabs at the Opposition. “We know people who work for the development they get difficult times. This opposition ecosystem is working against the government. Today we are forming a full majority government in Odisha,” the veteran politician averred.

“We are forming a government in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time. In Andhra Pradesh, we are forming the government with our alliance partner. In Kerala we opened our account,” he added.

Mauritius PM Jugnauth becomes the first global leader to congratulate PM Modi on his “laudable victory for a historic third term”. “Congratulations Prime Minister Modi Ji @narendramodi on your laudable victory for a historic third term,” he wrote on X, formally known as Twitter. “Under your helm, the largest democracy will continue to achieve remarkable progress. Long live the Mauritius-India special relationship,” he added.  

Congratulations Prime Minister Modi Ji @narendramodi on your laudable victory for a historic third term.
Under your helm, the largest democracy will continue to achieve remarkable progress.
Long live the Mauritius-India special relationship.

— Pravind Kumar Jugnauth (@KumarJugnauth) June 4, 2024

Mauritius PM Jugnauth becomes the first global leader to congratulate PM Modi on his “laudable victory for a historic third term”. “Congratulations Prime Minister Modi Ji @narendramodi on your laudable victory for a historic third term,” he wrote on X, formally known as Twitter. “Under your helm, the largest democracy will continue to achieve remarkable progress. Long live the Mauritius-India special relationship,” he added.  

Congratulations Prime Minister Modi Ji @narendramodi on your laudable victory for a historic third term.
Under your helm, the largest democracy will continue to achieve remarkable progress.
Long live the Mauritius-India special relationship.

— Pravind Kumar Jugnauth (@KumarJugnauth) June 4, 2024

While addressing party workers BJP President JP Nadda laud NDA’s performance. “I would like to welcome PM Modi. I would like to thank the BJP and NDA workers for their hard work. I welcome PM Modi on this occasion. He has taken county out of many problems. I also thank NDA parties and our workers,” he said.

Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary will offer to step down as BJP UP President after BJPs poor performance in UP.

Source: News18

BJP President JP Nadda has started addressing BJP party workers at the party’s headquarters.

Addressing the media, Uddhav Thackeray said, “Common man had shown his strength today. When the powerful become egoistic, people can bring them down. I will go to Delhi post afternoon tomorrow. Sanjay Raut will go to the meeting tomorrow. INDIA bloc should stake claim to form the government.”

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray with wife Rashmi Thackeray and sons Aaditya Thackeray and Tejas Thackeray. PTI

Rashtrapati Bhavan (Circuit -1) will remain closed to the general public from June 5 to 9, 2024, due to preparation for the forthcoming event of the swearing-in-ceremony of the Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman along with Ministers of State Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget. Source: File Image X/@ANI

Union Minister Amith Shah thanked BJP supporters after BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“This victory of BJP for the third time is the result of the tireless hard work of our workers. For this victory, I congratulate the National President of BJP Mr. @JPNadda ji and all the BJP workers working hard in every part of the country,” Shah wrote on X.  

“For BJP, its workers are its biggest asset. The hard work with which all of you have sought blessings of the people for Modi Ji by going door to door, street to street from North to South and East to West is truly commendable. I heartily congratulate all of you for this Herculean effort,” he added.

भाजपा को तीसरी बार मिली यह जीत हमारे कार्यकर्ताओं के अथक परिश्रम का प्रतिफल है। इस जीत के लिए भाजपा के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री @JPNadda जी और देश के हर भू-भाग में मेहनत करने वाले सभी भाजपा कार्यकर्ताओं को मैं बधाई देता हूँ।

भाजपा के लिए उनके कार्यकर्ता ही सबसे बड़ी पूँजी हैं। आप…

— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) June 4, 2024

While the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls was a tussle between the NDA and INDI Alliance, several independent candidates managed to win a seat in the parliament as well. Here are the names of 7 candidates who beat political parties to win as Independents.

1. Khadoor Sahib / AMRITPAL SINGH
2. Faridkot / SARABJEET SINGH KHALSA
3. Daman & Diu / PATEL UMESHBHAI BABUBHAI
4. Ladakh / MOHMAD HANEEFA
5. Purnia / RAJESH RANJAN ALIAS PAPPU YADAV
6. Sangli / VISHAL (DADA) PRAKASHBAPU PATIL
7. BARAMULLA / ABDUL RASHID SHEIKH

Prime Minister Modi also took time to laud the exceptional mandate in Andhra Pradesh. “Andhra Pradesh has given an exceptional mandate to NDA! I thank the people of the state for their blessings. I congratulate @ncbn Garu, @PawanKalyan Garu and the Karyakartas of @JaiTDP, @JanaSenaParty and @BJP4Andhra for this emphatic victory,” he wrote on X.  

“We will work for the all-round progress of AP and ensure the state prospers in the times to come,” the Prime Minister furthered.

Andhra Pradesh has given an exceptional mandate to NDA! I thank the people of the state for their blessings. I congratulate @ncbn Garu, @PawanKalyan Garu and the Karyakartas of @JaiTDP, @JanaSenaParty and @BJP4Andhra for this emphatic victory.

We will work for the all-round…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 4, 2024

In his latest post on X, Prime Minister Modi thanks the people of Odisha. “Thank you Odisha! It’s a resounding victory for good governance and celebrating Odisha’s unique culture,” PM Modi wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.

“BJP will leave no stone unturned in fulfilling the dreams of people and taking Odisha to new heights of progress. I am very proud of all our hardworking Party Karyakartas for their efforts,” he added. The Prime Minister is expected to address party workers at BJP headquarters soon.

Thank you Odisha! It’s a resounding victory for good governance and celebrating Odisha’s unique culture.

BJP will leave no stone unturned in fulfilling the dreams of people and taking Odisha to new heights of progress.

I am very proud of all our hardworking Party Karyakartas…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 4, 2024

In a post on X, formally known as Twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked his supporters. “People have placed their faith in NDA, for a third consecutive time! This is a historical feat in India’s history. I bow to the Janata Janardan for this affection and assure them that we will continue the good work done in the last decade to keep fulfilling the aspirations of people,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

“I also salute all our Karyakartas for their hard work. Words will never do justice to their exceptional efforts,” he added.

People have placed their faith in NDA, for a third consecutive time! This is a historical feat in India’s history.

I bow to the Janata Janardan for this affection and assure them that we will continue the good work done in the last decade to keep fulfilling the aspirations of…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 4, 2024

Longest serving Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik lost from both Kantabanji and Laxam Bag. This is the first time he lost an election. However, he is still leading from Hinjili.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI File

TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu has called off the media briefing which was scheduled earlier today. The decision was taken after Naidu had telephonic conversation with PM Modi.

TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu is back on top in Andhra Pradesh. PTI

India was in for a big surprise as the counting of votes for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections began on Tuesday (4 June) morning. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was predicted to win by a comfortable majority, surpassing the 350 mark. While the NDA is presently ahead in 294 out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, the INDIA bloc is leading in 231 seats and Others in 18.

The Congress, a part of the Opposition INDIA coalition, has given its best performance in the last decade and is slated to win 98 Lok Sabha seats on its own. The Grand Old Party was reduced to just 44 seats in 2014 and 52 in the 2019 polls as the Narendra Modi wave swept the nation.

Full Story.  

Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, senior leaders of the Congress party, take a selfie at a polling station during the sixth phase of the general election, in New Delhi, 25 May, 2024. File Image/Reuters

After losing Amethi to INC’s Kishori Lal Sharma, BJP leader Smriti Irani said that she will still continue to serve Amethi.

“I express my gratitude to all the  BJP party workers and supporters, those who have worked in the service of the constituency and the party with dedication and loyalty. Today, I am grateful to PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath that their governments have completed the pending works of 30 years in just 5 years,” she said.

“I congratulate those who win. I will continue to be in the service of the people of Amethi. We will strengthen the organization. We are the ones who have served the area with devotion. I went to every village in the area and worked. I gave 10 years of my life to this area,” she added.

Smriti Irani. FILE

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is making waves in Maharashtra.

The Opposition alliance comprising the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) was reported to have all sorts of issues when it came to seat-sharing ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

But as the votes are being counted, the MVA is way ahead of the ruling Mahayuti comprising the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Read our analysis.  

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray are back on top in Maharashtra

Congress, in its first press conference of the day, said that the country has saved the Constitution by voting for the grand old party in huge numbers.

While the National Democratic Alliance is leading in 290 Lok Sabha seats, the INDIA bloc has performed better than expected with the opposition alliance leading in 235 seats.

Full Story.  

In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is leading by 43 out of 80 seats.

Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha paid a visit to Raj Bhavan hours after having talks with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

VIDEO | Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha arrives at Raj Bhavan in Patna. pic.twitter.com/Ofycm3PMyR

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

While addressing the media in a press conference, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee called for the resignation of PM Modi. ” PM should resign because they have not got a majority,” she said. “Now he is calling TDP, Nitish. They can’t break INDIA I congratulate Akhilesh. Bihar result is not right. Spoke to Tejaswi. Spoke to Udhav, and Sharad Pawar. I have sent Rahul Gandhi also congratulatory message. He must be busy he has not seen,” she added.

West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. PTI File

When asked which constituency Rahul Gandhi will choose to represent in the Parliament, the Congress MP said that he is yet to decide on the matter.

“I have won from Rae Bareli and Wayanad and I thank the voters. I need to decide which seat I will retain. I haven’t decided yet,” Gandhi averred.

#WATCH | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, "I have won from Rae Bareli and Wayanad and I thank the voters. I need to decide which seat I will retain. I haven't decided yet." pic.twitter.com/ZEMveYlxVZ

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

When asked if INDI Alliance will shake hands with Chandra Babu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, the Congress MP said that the country will know the final decision soon. “We will be meeting with our Alliance partners tomorrow to discuss taking support of Chandra Babu Naidu & Nitish Kumar. We will not make any statement without their consent & consensus. We will take action what ever Our Alliance will decide,” he said.

#WATCH | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, " We are going to have a meeting with our INDIA alliance partners tomorrow...we respect our alliance partners and we won't make statements to press without asking them" pic.twitter.com/9y1lQVRGSz

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

During the presser, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi elucidated the INDI Alliance vision. “We respected our INDIA Alliance partners and we came together. Congress party gave clarity to the people which pro-poor Vision and pro production vision,” he said.

While emphasising the significance of the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that they fought against the BJP. “This election was not against any political party. We fought this election against agencies,” he said. “We have fought under difficult conditions & under the pressure of agencies as these agencies have been captured by PM Modi & Hm Amit Shah,” he added.

#WATCH | Delhi | Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, "We fought this election not just against BJP but also the institutions, the governance structure of the country, the intelligence agencies CBI &EDI, judiciary because all these institutions were… pic.twitter.com/VbhckSJEvW

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

While addressing the media, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said “this election results are ‘Janta ka result’…It is clear this mandate is against Modi ji. This is his moral and political defeat.”

“We have to make sure the functioning of Parliament,” he added.

#WATCH | "This election results are 'janta ka result'...It is clear this mandate is against Modi ji. This is his moral and political defeat," says Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. pic.twitter.com/zzwf1ZGpsl

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

While addressing the media, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge emphasised that the party contested this year’s elections in touch circumstances. “The results of 18th Loksabha polls are victory of people. This is the battle People vs Modi,” Kharge averred.

“BJP sought a vote on the face of one man but didn’t get a majority. It is the moral defeat of Modi & setback for him. Congress party and INDIA alliance contested in a difficult situation from freezing our accounts to putting leaders in jail but our campaign was positive from the day,” he added.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi addresses media. Source: INC

After delivering a strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, INC conducted a media briefing. Party President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the “party will openly accept the verdict of the people”.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at AICC headquarters, in New Delhi, on 21 March. The Congress is part of the INDI Alliance which has much reason to celebrate keeping in mind early trends. File photo/PTI

After a stellar performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived at AICC headquarters in Delhi.

#WATCH | Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive at AICC headquarters in Delhi pic.twitter.com/vgQUw4sAuc

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, son of one of the assassins of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, are set to make their maiden entry in Parliament, according to current trends.

On Tuesday afternoon, both Singh and Khalsa are comfortably placed against their nearest rivals from Khadoor Sahib and Faridkot parliamentary seats respectively.

Political greenhorn Singh is lodged in a jail in Assam after being slapped under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) a year ago.

Source: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi won his seat in Varanasi. He won with 1.5 lakh votes. This is the third time PM Modi won from the Varanasi Constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi during a rally. File image/PTI

It’s not looking good for the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Uttar Pradesh. The INDI Alliance of Samajwadi Party and Congress was leading in 40 out of 80 seats and the NDA is at 39. One of the biggest defeats of this election for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes in Amethi.

The big fight was between BJP’s Smriti Irani and Congress’  Kishori Lal Sharma  . Irani, who is seeking re-election from Amethi was trailing the veteran leader, according to trends. She was behind by nearly 1.3 lakh votes, according to the Election Commission website.

Congress’ candidate from Amethi constituency Kishori Lal Sharma with other leaders of the alliance during a roadshow before filing his nomination. File photo/PTI

In the latest post on X, Congress’ Jairam Ramesh claimed that multiple district officials in UP are being pressurised to make the ruling regime win the polls. “In Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj, Bansgaon, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar seats, district officials are being pressurised to make the ruling regime win these seats,” he wrote on X.

“Administrative officers should remember that the government is changing and this tampering with democracy will not be accepted,” he added.

उत्तर प्रदेश के महाराजगंज, बांसगांव, मेरठ, मुज़फ़्फ़रनगर सीटों पर ज़िला अधिकारियों को फ़ोन करके सीटें जिताने के लिए दबाव बनाया जा रहा है

प्रशासनिक अधिकारी याद रखें कि सरकार बदल रही है और लोकतंत्र के साथ यह खिलवाड़ स्वीकार नहीं किया जाएगा@ECISVEEP

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 4, 2024

While speaking to News18 after winning his constituency, Union Minister Anurag Thakurs said that people have shown faith in PM Modi. “Definitely BJP is going to form the government at the centre, people have again shown faith in PM Modi,” Thakur averred.

When asked about BJP falling short of the “400 mark” he said: “It happens sometimes we don’t get seats according to our wishes but Modi ji is going to become prime minister for the third time.” Himachal won all 4 seats in Himachal

Union Minister and BJP candidate from Hamirpur constituency Anurag Thakur being greeted by locals during his election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. File image/PTI

The 2024 Lok Sabha results have thrown a spanner in the works. So far, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 237 seats and has won three, according to the Election Commission (EC) trends. The Opposition INDIA bloc would be taking heart as the vote counting proceeds, with its better-than-expected performance in key states.

Some of the major shockers for the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has come from the big states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra as well as West Bengal. Exit polls seemed to not have been able to gauge the mood of voters, especially in the eastern state led by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Here’s a look at how Bengal proved the exit poll predictions wrong.

Read our full story .

TMC supporters celebrate the party’s lead in Bengal. PTI

As the counting in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls continues, reports are emerging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the media at 7 pm today.

PM Narendra Modi won from UP’s Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 and 2019. Reuters File Photo

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary was seen arriving at the residence of CM Nitish Kumar.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary (@samrat4bjp) arrives at the residence of CM Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) in Patna. #LSResultsWithPTI #LSPolls2024WithPTI #LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/AR5Dn7CpLl

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

While speaking to CNN News18, INC’s Shashi Tharoor congratulated his rivals for a tough fight and thanked his supporters. “I want to congratulate my rivals also for putting up such a spirited fight…Suresh Gopi had a systematic out reach for minority,” Tharoor told News18 on Tuesday. “I would like to thank the people for their support. We have to wait and see final results,” he added.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. Source: X/@ShashiTharoor

As per the ECI sources, on Congress’ delegation’s complaint, the commission replied, “The counting is conducted as per Rule 60 of the Conduct of Election Rules at the designated counting centres. This is happening in the presence of candidates, agents, microobservers and observers. There is no report from any counting centre otherwise, to the contrary. In Assembly elections, rounds pertain to that assembly constituency and hence are declared and reflected on the ECI results portal. For Parliamentary Constituencies, the counting happens in the assembly segments falling in the particular PC. Different Assembly constituency segments of the PC have different numbers of rounds and they run at different speeds. Hence a round of PC can’t be defined and displayed. It has always been so. The commission sent a written reply to the INC too, after explaining this to the delegation.”

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. ANI

It seems to be an UPset. Even with the BJP-led NDA poised to win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the ruling party seems to be suffering reverses in the Hindi heartland, especially in Uttar Pradesh.

In the afternoon, hours after counting began, the Election Commission data showed that the BJP was leading in 34 seats of the 80 that the state sends to the lower house. Its ally, Jayant Chaudhry’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) was leading in two other seats and Apna Dal in another one. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) was leading in 35, while the Congress was ahead in seven.

So What Happened?

The INDI Alliance’s UP ke ladke’ pitch has seemed to find favour with the voters this time around. File image/PTI

From putting up a decent performance in the last Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh winning 10 seats stitching an alliance with arch rival Samajwadi Party, Mayawati-led BSP drew a blank in the current general elections, dealing a severe blow to its reputation of representing the voice of Dalits in the state.

The BSP’s selection of candidates reflected its attempt to doom the chances of the opposition grouping, but the Samajwadi Party emerging as the single largest party in the state and the Congress doing better in partnership with it show that Mayawati’s factor has lost its electoral charm.

After drawing a blank in the 2014 general elections, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won a decent 10 of the 38 seats that it contested under the alliance.

Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav exchanges greetings with Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati as SP President Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati’s nephew Akash Anand look on during their joint election campaign rally in Mainpuri, Friday, 19 April 2019. Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati have been bitter rivals since 1995 when SP cadres allegedly attacked the state guest house where the BSP chief had been camping with her supporters. PTI

While lauding INDI Alliance’s performance in this year’s Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Anil Chaudhary took pot shot at ruling regime’s ambition on 400 paar.

“Where are those people now who gave the slogan of ‘400 paar’? The BJP has not given any statement on it… There are some seats where the margin is very low. As we move forward, the picture will be clearer and INDIA Alliance is moving towards victory… The people are with Rahul Gandhi, Congress and Congress’ manifesto,” Chaudhary told ANI.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the performance of INDIA alliance in Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Anil Chaudhary says, "Where are those people now who gave the slogan of '400 paar'? The BJP has not given any statement on it... There are some seats where the margin is very low. As we… pic.twitter.com/d02JBzw3hf

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Lallu Singh, the incumbent Faizabad MP from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conceded defeat to the Samajwadi Party candidate Awadhesh Prasad, saying “Hum aapka samman nahi bacha paaye (we could not save your respect).

Source: PTI

JMM’s Kalpana Soren leads by 26,000 votes in Gandey by-poll in J’khand — Kalpana Soren, the wife of jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, was leading by about 26,000 votes over her nearest BJP rival Dilip Kumar Verma in the Gandey assembly by-poll, election officials said on Tuesday.

Kalpana tied the knot with Hemant Soren and today, the couple has two children — Nikhil and Ansh. Image Courtesy: Facebook

As ECI continues to release the election figures BJP’s Jyotiraditya Scindia won the Guna constituency. Meanwhile, DMK’s Kanimozhi Karunanidhi bagged her seat from the Thoothukudi constituency.

The mercurial rise of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha election pushed regional parties into the periphery of the national politics in a departure from the trend of the past two decades. In fact, regional parties started playing a decisive role post the fall of the VP Singh government in 1990. The PV Narasimha Rao government was a minority government, depending for its survival on regional players like the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

NDA ahead in 10 seats, Congress in four — The ruling BJP and its allies the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) were leading in 10 Lok Sabha seats, while the Congress was ahead in four, the Election Commission said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressing an election rally in East Delhi ahead of May 25 Lok Sabha polls 2024. Source: X/@himantabiswa

Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said his party HAM will continue to support the BJP and remain part of the NDA alliance. “HAM is and will remain with Narendra Modi ji. Tomorrow we all are reaching Delhi and once again we will make the respected Prime Minister @narendramodi ji the Prime Minister,” he wrote on X.

HAM नरेन्द्र मोदी जी के साथ थें हैं और रहेंगें।
कल हम सब दिल्ली पहुंच रहें हैं और
एक बार पुनः आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi जी को प्रधानमंत्री बनाएंगें।

— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) June 4, 2024

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at the residence of BJP chief JP Nadda, presumably to the party’s next plan of action. Earlier today, Shah secured his seat in Gandhinagar.

#WATCH | Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives at the residence of BJP chief JP Nadda. pic.twitter.com/GK7get69uR

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Here are some of the sure-shot hits and misses as the counting of votes continues.

Mehbooba Mufti – Lost Anantnag Rajouri

Omar Abdullah – Lost Baramulla

Kangana Ranaut – Won Mandi

Source: Network18

Source: Network18

Source: Network18

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) seems poised for a third term, as per current election trends, albeit with fewer seats than anticipated by exit polls. Despite its “abki baar, 400-paar” slogan, the ruling alliance is currently hovering just below the 300-seat mark. 272 is the magic number to create the next government of India.

Contrary to pollster predictions, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) has mounted a formidable challenge, leading in over 230 seats. Key battleground states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan are witnessing close contests.

Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, who made her poll debut in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has won from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi.

Source: AFP

Suddenly all those voices have gone miraculously quiet that were shouting that EVMs have been rigged to favour BJP and the Election Commission of India was acting as BJP’s representative. Many wild allegations were thrown at the Constitutional body without even a shred of evidence and tacit threats of civil war were issued by the Opposition and its ecosystem. The election results proved once again, beyond a shred of doubt, that the electoral process in India remains robust and fair, and those threatening civil war, if results had shaped up differently, should introspect.

Sreemoy Talukdar writes.

Polling officials seal Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) at the end of the seventh and final phase of voting in India’s general election at a polling station in Jalandhar.

As per the current trends, the Samajwadi Party-led INDIA bloc has managed to edge out the BJP in the crucial heartland state of Uttar Pradesh.

A surprise : The better than expected showing by Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh has surprised many, at least those who were expecting the results to mirror exit poll predictions. Most exit polls had predicted that the BJP-led NDA will win at least 65 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state and the opposition INDIA bloc will share the rest. However, according to trends, the Samajwadi Party is all set to win around 38 seats and its alliance partner Congress another 7.

Read the Full Story.  

Representational Image.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra congratulated INC’s Kishori Lal after the Latter takes a major lead against BJP’s Smriti Irani.

“Kishori bhaiya, I never had any doubts, I was sure from the beginning that you will win. Hearty congratulations to you and my dear brothers and sisters of Amethi!” she wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.

किशोरी भैया, मुझे कभी कोई शक नहीं था, मुझे शुरू से यक़ीन था कि आप जीतोगे। आपको और अमेठी के मेरे प्यारे भाइयों और बहनों को हार्दिक बधाई ! pic.twitter.com/JzH5Gr3z30

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) June 4, 2024

Hassan constituency of Karnataka appears to have punished Janata Dal (Secular) member Prajwal Revanna by voting for Congress candidate Shreyas M Patel in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Revanna, accused in sexual abuse and rape case, has lost the Hassan Lok Sabha seat to Patel, who has won by a margin of over 44,000 votes.

Full Story.  

Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, returns to India, being taken to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Bengaluru, Friday in the wee hours, 31 May 2024. PTI

As the counting in the 18th Lok Sabha Elections continues, President of JKPDP Mehbooba Mufti said that she’ll be accepting the verdict of the people.

“Respecting the verdict of the people I thank my PDP workers & leaders for their hard work & support despite all the odds. My deepest gratitude to the people who voted for me. Winning & losing is part of the game & won’t deter us from our path,” Mufti wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.

Respecting the verdict of the people I thank my PDP workers & leaders for their hard work & support despite all the odds. My deepest gratitude to the people who voted for me. Winning & losing is part of the game & wont deter us from our path. Congratulations to Mian sahab for his…

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 4, 2024

Rahul beats Sonia’s 2019 victory margin in Rae Bareli, leads by 2.22 lakh votes — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has surpassed Sonia Gandhi’s 2019 victory margin from the Rae Bareli constituency and is now leading by 2,27,535 votes against his nearest rival Dinesh Pratap Singh of the BJP.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a rally for the Lok Sabha elections in Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh on 26 May. PTI

Prajwal Revanna, the JD(S) candidate from Karnataka’s Hassan, has lost his Lok Sabha seat.

During the Lok Sabha poll campaigning, Prajwal got embroiled in controversy as pen drives of his alleged sexual assaults of multiple women started doing the rounds. After the polls, Prajwal went absconding and returned to India on May 31. He has denied the allegations.

Big #Breaking in #ElectionsResults: JD(S) candidate Prajwal Revanna from #Hassan, who was accused in a sex scandal case, has lost.#LokSabhaPolls2024 #LokSabhaElections2024 #CountingDayWithNews18 #Karnataka

Track LIVE: https://t.co/bCBt8uUSff pic.twitter.com/BhSJFS1fhV

— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 4, 2024

Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set for a win in the Lok Sabha election. But INDI Alliance has given it a tough fight defying exit poll predictions. Among the big states, the results of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra are not going the way the ruling alliance hoped. However, Bihar might give the NDA a reason to cheer.

Read the Full Story .

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar during a public meeting for Lok Sabha polls, in Munger, Friday, on 26 April. PTI

Tamil Nadu state BJP president and former IPS officer K Annamalai is trailing by over 20,000 votes to DMK’s Ganapathy Rajkumar P in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore constituency. After resigning from IPS, Annamalai relocated to his village in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu to take up organic farming. On 25 August 2020, Annamalai joined the BJP) and within 10 months, he was appointed as the state unit chief.

We reported about the top five bellwether seats across India where the voters have proven to have the knack of gauging the mood of the nation in a Lok Sabha election.

Read here — 5 Lok Sabha seats that got India’s mood right in last 5 elections
These five seats have predicted outcomes of all elections in the 21st century correctly. Some did through the 20th century as well. Let’s have a brief look at which way the election wind is blowing in these constituencies.

Representational Image.

Union Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju wins his constituency in Arunachal West.

Source: News18

Source: News18

Raebareli BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh concedes defeat. “Will stay with Raebareli in pain and happiness,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Maharashtra: BJP, allies leading in 20 seats, MVA ahead in 27 — The NDA appeared falling significantly short of its target of bagging 45plus of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, going by the latest trends in the counting of votes.

People stand outside a polling station during the fourth phase of India’s general election, in Beed, Maharashtra, 13 May, 2024. Reuters

Jailed Khalistani terrorist Amritpal Singh leading by over 1 lakh votes — Amritpal Singh was leading over Congress’s Kulbir Singh Zira by a margin of 1,06,337 votes in Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib seat, according to the Election Commission trends.

After offering prayers at Sri Radha Raman temple, BJP MP Hema Malini said that she is happy with the current numbers in her constituency.

“I am happy that we are winning wonderfully. I would like the entire nation to win. That is my wish, I have come here with that prayer…I pray to God that PM Modi becomes the Prime Minister once again and the development of the country progresses,” the Bollywood actress told ANI on Tuesday.

As per the latest ECI trends, she is leading by a margin of 1,76,443 votes. Counting is underway.

#WATCH | Hema Malini says, "...I am happy that we are winning wonderfully. I would like the entire nation to win. That is my wish, I have come here with that prayer...I pray to God that PM Modi becomes the Prime Minister once again and the development of the country… https://t.co/2VeLmnA5Ju pic.twitter.com/CgOaH2c1eT

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Among all the cuts that the BJP has suffered so far, the one in West Bengal will cut the deepest where every pollster, journalist and anecdote from the ground spoke of a much better result for the BJP. Right now, as I type, the BJP is leading in 10 seats, with TMC ahead in 31. For a party that won 18 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, this is a massive reversal, and it becomes even more so when we consider that the saffron party was confident of snatching the ‘major party’ tag from Mamata Banerjee’s outfit with a self-declared target of 25+ seats. Why, and where BJP went so wrong in Bengal is a question to be unravelled. For now, a reversal in Bengal is a major reason (along with the shocker in UP) for the BJP not coming within shouting distance of a simple majority at the Centre. Has the Left Front, which showed signs of revival, eaten into BJP’s vote share and benefitted TMC in a three-way contest? We shall soon know.

Is it the end of the Congress? Will India finally see a Congress-mukt Bharat? These were the questions being asked by many as India voted in its Lok Sabha elections. However, as votes are being tallied, it seems that all is not lost for the Grand Old Party. In fact, the 2024 Lok Sabha election results will give the party a reason to smile — as it is on course to win over 100 Lok Sabha seats.

Read our full analysis .

The Congress has defied exit poll predictions even as votes are still being counted. Trends show they are ahead on 94 seats.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah won the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat by over two lakh votes. Shah was facing Congress rival Sonal Patel in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Counting was underway for 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state since 8 am.

Source: News18

Source: NW18

BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 are witnessing a bloodbath with both the benchmark Indian indices trading down over 8 per cent as early trends suggest the BJP-led NDA will not win by a huge margin as predicted in the exit polls.

In the early trading hours, both Sensex and Nifty today were down 2 per cent and now they were extending losses.

Full Story .

Representational Image.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is leading by a huge margin in the the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat by over two lakh votes. Shah was facing Congress rival Sonal Patel in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Counting was underway for 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state since 8 am.

Source: ECI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed at a recent rally that Rahul Gandhi would leave for a holiday to Thailand after the election results. File photo/PTI

Early trends in Jammu and Kashmir show that the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a vote share of 26.39 per cent. The state saw an impressive voter turnout during the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 following the revocation of Article 370.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) has a vote share of 22.18 per cent, Congress has 21.31 per cent and the People’s Democratic Party has secured 8.64 per cent, early trends show.

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti, center, blocks a road with her supporters as she protests against the alleged detention of her party workers ahead of the sixth round of polling in India’s national election in Bijehara, south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, May 25, 2024.- AP

According to the latest figures released by the ECI, BJP’s Smriti Irani is trailing in Amethi, a constituency where BJP had a stronghold. INC’s Kishori Lal is currently dominating.

Source: ECI

PTI party leader Fawad Chaudhry took potshots at PM Modi. “Always had faith in Indian voters that they will reject extremists and hate mongers and it’s very apparent even Modi and Rajnath are barely making it to LokSabha… Rahul Gandhi is winning both seats,” the controversial Pakistani politician wrote on X.

Always had faith in indian voter that they will reject extremists and hate mongers and it’s very apparent even Modi and Rajnath are barely making it to LokSabha… Rahul Gandhi is winning both seats…

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 4, 2024

PTI party leader Fawad Chaudhry took potshots at PM Modi. “Always had faith in Indian voters that they will reject extremists and hate mongers and it’s very apparent even Modi and Rajnath are barely making it to LokSabha… Rahul Gandhi is winning both seats,” the controversial Pakistani politician wrote on X.

Always had faith in indian voter that they will reject extremists and hate mongers and it’s very apparent even Modi and Rajnath are barely making it to LokSabha… Rahul Gandhi is winning both seats…

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 4, 2024

According to the latest figures released by the ECI at 12 PM, BJP is leading in 239 seats, and INC on the other hand is leading in 93 seats.

Source: ECI

Four states went to the polls along with the Lok Sabha election — Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. In the Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the voters have brought back the incumbent parties to power, while the ruling parties are struggling in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Full Story .

Representational Image.

While commenting on the early trends, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh slammed the polls and said called the latest figure a moral defeat for the BJP.

“Trends for all 543 seats are now available. The following have become clear: 1. It will be a staggering political and decisively moral defeat for Mr Narendra Modi,” Ramesh wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.

“2. The exit polls that he orchestrated have been completely exposed for what they were–a total sham,” he added.

Trends for all 543 seats are now available. The following have become clear:

1. It will be a staggering political and decisively moral defeat for Mr. Narendra Modi

2. The exit polls that he orchestrated have been completely exposed for what they were--a total sham.

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 4, 2024

In Buddhist majority Leh district of Ladakh constituency after 12 rounds, INDIA bloc candidate Tsering Namgyal is leading while Mohd. Haneefa leading overall on the Ladakh LS seat with 17955 votes.

Here are the poll updates in the Northeastern states:

1. Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal East

BJP – Tapir Gao Lead

CONG – Bosiram Siram Trailing

Arunachal West

BJP – Kiren Rijiju lead

CONG – Nabam Tuki trailing

2. Manipur

Inner Manipur

CONG – Angomcha Bimol Akoijam lead

BJP – Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh trail

Outer Manipur

CONG – Alfred Kanngam S Arthur lead

NPF (NDA) – Kachui Timothy Zimik trailing

3. Meghalaya

Shillong

VPP – Ricky leading

NPP – Ampareen Lyndoh trailing

CONG – Vincent Pala trailing

Tura

NPP – Agatha Sangma trailing

CONG – Saleng A Sangma win

TMC – Zenith M Sangma trailing

4. Tripura

Tripura East (ST)

BJP – Maharani Kriti Singh Debbarma win

CPIM (INDI) – Darshan Kumar Reang trailing

Tripura West – Agartala

BJP – Biplab Kumar Deb win

CONG – Asish Kumar Saha trail

5. Mizoram

MNF – K Vanlalvena

CONG – Lalbiakzama, traling

BJP – Vanlalhmuaka, trailing

ZPM – Richard Vanlalhmangaiha, leading

6. Nagaland

NDPP – Dr Chumben Murry, trailing

CONG – S Supongmeren Jamir, leading

7. Sikkim

SKM – Indra Hang Subba, leading

SDF – Prem Das Rai, trailing

Odisha: BJP leads in 17 LS seats, BJD and Congress ahead in two each — The BJP was leading in 17 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, ECI said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducts roadshow in Odisha as country heads to the fifth phase of voting. Source: YouTube / Narendra Modi

TMC workers were seen celebrating outside the party office in Kolkata, West Bengal, as initial trends show massive victory for the party candidates.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: TMC workers celebrate outside party office as initial trends show massive victory for the party candidates. pic.twitter.com/GodsYByMWr

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

In a dramatic turn of events, the  INDI Alliance has defied exit polls  to register significant gains in two of India’s largest and most politically influential states: Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. These states, contributing a combined total of 128 seats to the Lok Sabha, are pivotal in determining the composition of the central government.

The recent trends indicate a shifting political landscape, with the opposition alliance challenging the dominance of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Full Story .

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting from two constituencies: Wayanad in Kerala and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh this Lok Sabha election. There are other big contests that are to be watched closely too. File image/PTI

The SKM has fielded the current sitting MP from Sikkim, Indra Hang Subba, looking for a second term in the state. Before 2019, Sikkim was a stronghold of the SDF who won the seat every term since 1996. SDF has fielded a two-time MP who previously represented Sikkim in Lok Sabha from 2009-2019, Prem Das Rai, to contest for the seat.

Source: ECI

According to the latest figures shared by the ECI at 11 am, BJP is leading in 242 seats. Meanwhile, Congress is leading in 94 seats.

Source: NW18

As BJP candidate from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut continues to lead in Mandi, she made it clear that Himachal Pradesh is her “janmabhoomi” and she will continue to serve the land. “On Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh’s comments for her, BJP candidate from Mandi and actor Kangana Ranaut says, “…Mandi has not taken kindly to the insults for daughters,” Ranaut told ANI on Tuesday.

As far as my departure to Mumbai is concerned, this (Himachal Pradesh) is my ‘janmabhoomi’ and I will continue to serve people here…So, I am not going anywhere. Perhaps, someone else will have to pack their bags and leave. I am not going anywhere.”

As per ECI trends, she is leading by a margin of 37,033 over Congress party’s Vikramaditya Singh.

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: On Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh's comments for her, BJP candidate from Mandi and actor Kangana Ranaut says, "...Mandi has not taken kindly to the insults for daughters. As far as my departure to Mumbai is concerned, this (Himachal Pradesh) is… pic.twitter.com/uBuu7UKZL8

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

According to the latest data released by the ECI, All India Trinamool Congress has taken a massive lead in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee’s party is currently leading in 29 seats, whereas BJP is leading in 9 seats.

Source: ECI

Here’s a quick glance at the definition of all vote-counting terms

Source: News18

As INDI Alliance continues to give a strong fightback to the BJP, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reached the residence of party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in Khan Market.

#WATCH | Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reaches the residence of party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in Khan Market. pic.twitter.com/SxJ8fF9Qow

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

The BJP is pushing the ruling TMC hard in West Bengal, which has 42 Lok Sabha seats. The TMC still maintains the lead in the trends from the counting centres. At 11 am, the TMC was leading at 21 of the 35 seats for which trends were available. The BJP was leading at 11. The Congress was leading at two and the CPM at one.

In terms of vote share, the TMC appeared to be polling 46% of the votes polled. The BJP was polling over 37% till the latest figures put out by the Election Commission.

This trend is significant particularly against the backdrop of the TMC’s landslide victory in the 2021 Assembly election, when it won 215 of the 294 seats with 48% vote share. The BJP had got 77 Assembly seats, finishing off the other Opposition parties — the CPM and the Congress. The BJP had polled over 38% vote share in 2021.

West Bengal has been a stronghold of the TMC since CM Mamata Banerjee led the party to a historic victory in the Assembly election, unseating the Left Front government after an uninterrupted rule of 34 years.

(File) Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI

The BJP was leading in all five Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, according to the Election Commission trends.

Source: ECI

Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is in police custody in connection with sexual abuse and rape case, is leading from Hassan Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka.

Lok Sabha election 2024 voting in Hassan was held in the second of seven phases of polling on April 26.

Read the full story .

Poster of JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna being burnt during a protest. PTI

What is emerging as one of the biggest shockers in the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, the BJP and Samajwadi Party are going neck and neck. According to the latest figures released by the ECI, SP is leading in 36 seats whereas BJP is leading in 34.

Source: ECI

While speaking on the early figures in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav said that the Bhartiya Janta Party will be losing in India’s biggest battleground.

“Why would a winning party want to create a ruckus… It’s the job of those who are losing. BJP is losing in UP… The verdict should be accepted by everyone,” Yadav told ANI on Tuesday.

#WATCH | Etawah, UP: Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav says, "... Why would a winning party want to create ruckus... It's the job of those who are losing. BJP is losing in UP... The verdict should be accepted by everyone..." pic.twitter.com/d4ZIaucKol

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Today is the culmination of the big battle between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the INDI Alliance, comprising the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and more.

As votes are being counted — with the Narendra Modi-led NDA widening the gap — there’s also a lot of interest in how the heavyweights are performing this Lok Sabha election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hoping for a third win from Varanasi. File image/PTI

According to the latest figures released by the ECI, BJP’s Anurag Thakur is leaving in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur constituency. While Thakur is leading with 173117 votes, INC’s Satpal Raizada trailing behind 113691.

Source: ECI

Four-time National Award-winning actress Kangana Ranaut is leading in the Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh. INC’s Vikramaditya Singh is trailing close behind.

Source: ECI

It’s election day and with early trends, the National Democratic Alliance looks poised for victory. However, the Opposition bloc, INDIA, seems to have performed better than expected.

Early trends bring good news for INDI Alliance.

According to early trends, INDI Alliance has made massive gains as compared to their numbers in 2019. It has crossed the 200-seat mark as results pour in. The Congress appears on course to win over 100 Lok Sabha seats, its biggest tally since 2014.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav during a public meeting for Lok Sabha elections, in Varanasi on 28 May. PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party is leading from the Inner Manipur seat while the party’s ally Naga People’s Front (NPF) is ahead in the Outer Manipur seat.

BJP candidate Thounaojam Basantakumar was leading in the Inner Manipur seat over his nearest rival Angomcha Bimol Akoijam of the Congress by 4,530 votes.

Manipur LS poll results. PTI file

Statewise trends according to Election Commission of India – Punjab: Congress leads in 7 seats with a vote share of 26.72%. AAP leads in 3 seats with a vote share of 26.07%. SAD is ahead in 1 seat with a vote share of 13.43%.

Waris De Punjab Chief Amritpal Singh. PTI file

Statewise trends according to Election Commission of India – West Bengal: AITC leads in 12 seats with a vote share of 46.39%. BJP leads in 2 seats with a vote share of 34.02%. Congress is ahead in 1 seat with a vote share of 10.01%.

Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi. PTI

Statewise trends according to Election Commission of India – Rajasthan: BJP leads in 13 seats with a vote share of 49.51%. Congress leads in 9 seats with a vote share of 39.89%.

Benchmark Indian indices BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty 50 started were deep in the red when markets opened on Tuesday, as preliminary numbers started trickling in for Lok Sabha election 2024 from all over the country.

On Monday, BSE Sensex and Nifty50 had clocked best trading session ever, touching life-time highs yet again after rising over 3 per cent before closing at record highs.

Click here to read our full analysis.

AI-generate image via DALL-E

Statewise trends according to Election Commission of India – Karnataka: BJP leads in 17 seats with a vote share of 43%. Congress leads in 8 seats with a vote share of 43.64. JD(S) is ahead in 3 seats with a vote share of 10.28%.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge casts his vote during the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Kalaburagi, Karnataka. Kharge arrived at the polling booth with his wife Radhabai Kharge. PTI

Statewise trends according to Election Commission of India – Maharashtra: BJP leads in 10 seats with a vote share of 18.88%. Shiv Sena (SHS) leads in 10 seats with a vote share of 18.66%. Congress is ahead in 8 seats with a vote share of 12.87%.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray with wife Rashmi Thackeray and sons Aaditya Thackeray and Tejas Thackeray after casting his vote during the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Mumbai. PTI

The latest figures shared by the ECI show that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading in Varanasi. Earlier today, INC’s Ajay Rai took a brief lead in in the constituency.

Source: ECI

According to the early figures released by the ECI, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, BJP leads in 36 seats with a vote share of 42.32 per cent. Samajwadi Party is ahead in 29 seats with a total vote share of 31.63 per cent.

Representational image

With the NDA leading in the country, in Punjab, an Independent candidate from the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha was leading by 7,333 seats as of 9 am.

The ‘Waris De Punjab’ chief has received a vote share of 40.4 per cent as of 9:24 am. Singh, a pro-Khalistan preacher, is currently imprisoned in Dibrugarh.

Read our full story here .

Waris De Punjab Chief Amritpal Singh. PTI file

As of 9:30 am, the BJP is leading in 244 seats. Meanwhile, Congress is leading 89 seats.

While addressing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that his team is constantly monitoring the counting of votes to ensure transparency.

“Counting of votes for 542 Constituencies have begun. Our teams are here in the control room to monitor the counting of votes virtually,” Kumar said in a press briefing on Monday.

“Our website has around 2 lakh hits per second. We are managing all of that from here. All the ROs have been asked to allow the polling agents and candidates to sit there so that the counting is conducted with transparency,” he added.

#WATCH | Lok Sabha elections 2024 | CEC Rajiv Kumar says, "Counting of votes for 542 Constituencies have begun. Our teams are here in the control room to monitor the counting of votes virtually...Our website has around 2 lakh hits per second. We are managing all of that from… pic.twitter.com/hhL5nzNH7H

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

According to the Early figures released by the Election Commission of India, the Prime Minister is trailing behind INC’s candidate Ajay Rai.

While Rai is leading with 18629 votes, PM Modi is behind by 14540 votes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi during a rally. File image/PTI

On counting day on Tuesday, markets started in the negative territory. The Indian benchmark indices, in the early trading hours of Lok Sabha election 2024 result announcement day.

On Monday, BSE Sensex and Nifty50 clocked the best trading session in three years, touching lifetime highs and rising over 3 per cent before closing at record highs.

Source: Pixabay

According to the initial figures released by the Election Commission of India, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is leading in 175 seats.

Source: Election Commission of India

The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha election has begun. The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance is eyeing a third term. For the Opposition, which has come together, under the INDIA bloc the stakes are higher.

As results start to trickle in, we look at some of the big contests.

Click here to read our full analysis.

Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor poses for selfies during an election campaign ahead of the Lok Sabah polls, in Thiruvananthapuram. File image/PTI

Indian rupee opened 10 paise lower at 83.24 per dollar on Tuesday versus Monday’s close of 83.14.

According to the Election Commission of India, in the 172 seats for which trends are available, the BJP leads with a vote share of over 43% while the Congress is next with a vote share of over 30%.

According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP has won 1 seat and is leading in another 91.

Congress leads in 33 seats, the Samajwadi PArty in 15, Telugu Desam in 15, the Aam Aadmi Party in 6, the Janata Dal (United) in 2, the Janata Dal (Secular) in 2, the Shiv Sena in 2, the YSRCP in 1, CPI (M) in 1 and Independents are ahead in 4 seats.

TMC candidate Abhishek Banerjee is leading in Diamond Harbour constituency over his nearest rival BJP’s Abhijit Das, say TV reports.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were leading from the Varanasi, Lucknow, Rae Barelli and Kannauj Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, respectively, according to news channels.

#WATCH | Vijay Baghel says, "...He (PM Modi) gave the slogan '400 paar', initially people thought it's a joke and an exaggeration. But gradually, as the elections progressed, all the numbers said that his numbers are matched today. We will win all 11 seats with a greater margin… https://t.co/aTC1gtn4BZ pic.twitter.com/979BgSf3tN

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Here are the trends at 9:04 am

NDA – 295
INDI Alliance – 188
Others – 23

506/543 at 9:04 am

#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh: Congress candidate from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat, Nakul Nath says, "I took blessings of Lord Hanuman and I believe that the people of Chhindwara will also bless me. The result will be out in a few hours, no matter what the exit polls predicted..." pic.twitter.com/YNIz72pWIM

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

JD(U)’s Dinesh Chandra Yadav is leading in Madhepura Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, according to initial reports.

The BJP was leading on all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in the initial trends, according to TV channels.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju (BJP) is leading in Arunachal West seat by 685 votes over his nearest rival Nabam Tuki of the Congress, according to initial trends available from counting of postal ballots, officials said on Tuesday.

#WATCH | Congress MP & candidate from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor offers prayers at Pazhavangadi Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of the counting of votes for #LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/ynfPiIwhK4

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: BJP candidate from Raebareli, Dinesh Pratap Singh says, "We believe in Lord Hanuman, so I believe we will have a blessed Tuesday... I have served the people of Raebareli with humility... Narendra Modi will be forming the government with a huge majority...… pic.twitter.com/a0xEZecR4F

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: Visuals from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office in Delhi as counting for votes underway. #LSResultsWithPTI#LSPolls2024WithPTI#LokSabhaElections2024

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/lMXHZOqFKa

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

As the postal ballots are being counted, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are leading from the Lok Sabha constituencies in Varanasi and Lucknow, respectively.

As the counting of ballots begins on Tuesday, prominent politicians from both parties have taken an early lead in their respective Lok Sabha constituencies.

The TMC and the BJP were on Tuesday locked in a neck-and-neck contest in West Bengal as counting of postal ballots for the Lok Sabha polls was underway, with the former having a slight edge, TV channels reported.

The ruling BJP and opposition Congress are leading in three Lok Sabha seats each in the postal ballot round of counting in 14 constituencies in Assam on Tuesday, according to TV channels.

Here are the trends at 8:47 am

NDA – 296
INDI Alliance – 169
Others – 19

488/543 – 8:47 am

The BJP was ahead in 11 seats, Congress in four and JD(S) in two as the counting of postal ballots was taken up first in 28 Lok Sabha segments in Karnataka.

The ruling DMK took an early lead in a number of constituencies across Tamil Nadu as election officials first took up the count of postal ballots at 8 am on Tuesday.

Early trends from postal ballots in Kerala show tight race between UDF and LDF.

The initial trend emerging from the counting of postal ballots in most of the Lok Sabha seats in Kerala on Tuesday indicated a neck-and-neck fight between the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)led LDF.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: "All 40 seats will be won by DMK in Tamil Nadu and INDIA alliance will have a sweep all over India. It is a grand victory for INDIA alliance and here, it is a massive victory for DMK front," says DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) leader Thamizhachi… pic.twitter.com/C06rcTrkqm

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

Here are the trends at 8:26 am

NDA – 181
INDI Alliance – 85
Others – 10

276/543 at 8:26 am

One of Gujarat’s twenty-six Lok Sabha seats is Surat. It is a parliament seat for the general category.

Following the rejection of Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani’s candidature the day before, eight other contenders withdrew from the race, leaving BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal as the undisputed winner from Surat on April 22.

The nomination papers of Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani and his substitute were rejected due discrepancy in signature of its proposers.

Early trends indicate the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in close to 180 seats while the Congress party is leading in 33 seats. The ruling BJP is vying for a third successive term while the opposition INDI Alliance is hoping to prove exit polls wrong.

The Battle for Varanasi: Narendra Modi vs Ajay Rai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks his third victory in Varanasi, facing the Congress’s Ajay Rai, who also contested in 2014 and 2019. Previously, BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi held this seat.

In 2014, Modi defeated AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and won against Samajwadi Party’s Shalini Yadav in 2019.

Rae Bareli Showdown: Rahul Gandhi vs Dinesh Pratap Singh

Rahul Gandhi, a three-time MP from Amethi, now contests in Rae Bareli against BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh. The seat has been a Congress stronghold since 1952, with few exceptions.

The seat, which until February was held by his mother Sonia Gandhi, has remained with the Congress since 1952 barring three elections – 1977, (Janata Party), 1996 and 1999 (BJP).

Wayanad’s Contest: Rahul Gandhi vs Annie Raja

Rahul Gandhi faces CPI’s Annie Raja in Wayanad, Kerala. Both parties are part of the INDIA alliance, adding intrigue to the contest. Rahul Gandhi had shifted to Wayanad in 2019, choosing it as its second Lok Sabha constituency in the face of the challenge that the BJP’s Smriti Irani posed at Amethi, the Gandhi family’s traditional bastion. As it happened, Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi, who kept his Lok Sabha membership by virtue of his victory in Wayanad.

Amethi’s Clash: Smriti Irani vs Kishori Lal Sharma

The BJP’s Smriti Irani, who claimed Amethi from Rahul Gandhi in 2019, competes against the Congress’s Kishori Lal Sharma, a Gandhi family loyalist of decades. This marks the first absence of a Gandhi family member in Amethi in 25 years. Sharma’s nomination was announced by the Congress after long deliberations among the Gandhis and their advisors.

Thiruvananthapuram’s Race: Shashi Tharoor vs Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor aims for a fourth term in Thiruvananthapuram, challenged by the BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union minister, and CPI’s Pannyan Raveendran, who had won the elections from the constituency in 2005.

Baharampur’s Duel: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury vs Yusuf Pathan

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress aims to defend his Baharampur seat in West Bengal against cricketer-turned-politician Yusuf Pathan, who was given the ticket by the TMC.

Chowdhury, the West Bengal Congress unit president, has represented Baharampur five times as an MP since he was first elected from the seat in 1999. He is gearing up to seek a sixth term from the constituency. The Congress has not yet announced its candidate from the seat.

New Delhi’s Contest: Bansuri Swaraj vs Somnath Bharti

Bansuri Swaraj of BJP takes on AAP’s Somnath Bharti in New Delhi, a seat of heightened significance due to the Congress-AAP alliance.

The BJP replaced two-time MP and Union minister of state Meenakshi Lekhi from this seat with Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of late Union minister Sushma Swaraj. Somnath Bharti is the Malviya Nagar MLA in Delhi. With the Congress and AAP contesting the Lok Sabha polls in alliance in Delhi, the contest in the high-profile constituency has acquired added significance and urgency.

Today is the day that candidates for 542 of the 543 constituency seats will find out their destiny. The BJP has already won the Surat seat unopposed.

Here are the trends at 8:10am

NDA – 79
INDI Alliance – 32
Others – 3

The counting of postal ballots, which has frequently had a significant impact on the outcome of the election, has begun the counting process.

The BJP defeated the Congress candidate by a margin of 1,445 votes to retain the Khunti seat in Jharkhand. In Khunti, up to 1,951 postal votes were tallied in the most recent Lok Sabha elections.

In a similar vein, the TMC beat the BJP by a margin of 1,142 votes in Arambagh, West Bengal; 1,549 postal ballots were tallied there in 2019.

Exit polls indicate that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, would receive a resounding mandate.

The BJP is predicted to receive 305–315 seats, while the National Democratic Alliance might win 355–370 seats, according to the News18 Mega Exit Poll.

Voter tallying for the Lok Sabha elections has commenced. The elections have attracted the highest voter turnout, and they will determine the election outcomes of several political figures.

The postal ballot count was the first step in the process, and it will go on until the final counts are ready.

Among the prominent BJP figures contesting are Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, and Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh. Prominent opposition figures competing in the election include Samajwadi Party chairman Akhilesh Yadav, NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

Vote counting started at 8 in the morning, and early trends should be in soon.

Counting of votes for the #LokSabhaElections2024 begins. The fate of candidates on 542 of the 543 Parliamentary seats is being decided today. Postal ballot counting to begin first.

Counting is also being done for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Assembly elections as well as… pic.twitter.com/3tu7Opjasf

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

With PM Modi taking special interest in southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the BJP hopes to make significant inroads in these states in this election. The BJP failed to win a seat in both these states in 2019 and is often dismissed as a “NOTA party” in Tamil Nadu, as party leader K Annamalai put it. In the last election, the BJP got about 4% votes in Tamil Nadu. This time, Annamalai says, the BJP will win a double-digit vote share in the state.

In Kerala, the BJP polled more than 10% votes in 2019. This time, it hopes to win a couple of seats from Kerala that sends 20 members to the Lok Sabha. Like Tamil Nadu, Kerala has seen two-dimensional contests for decades. The BJP aims to emerge as the third force in both the states — breaking the DMK-AIADMK polarity in Tamil Nadu, and CPM-Congress cycle in Kerala.

These two states, including one seat of Puducherry, send 60 members to the Lok Sabha. The BJP had failed to open its account in 2019, giving its critics an opportunity to brand it as a “North India” party.

The other states with key contests are West Bengal and Odisha. They collectively send 63 members to the Lok Sabha. Of the 42 seats in Bengal, ruled by the Trinamool Congress of CM Mamata Banerjee, the BJP had won 18 in 2019. This time, the BJP is predicted to win a majority of seats from Bengal, posing a serious challenge to the TMC’s might in its stronghold.

Similarly, in Odisha, CM Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal has ruled the state since 2000. In 2019, the BJP emerged as a threat to the dominance of the BJD, winning eight of the 21 Lok Sabha seats from the state. It polled 38% votes — a jump of 16 percentage points over 2014. The BJD got 43% votes for its 12 seats. The other seat went to the Congress, which polled 13% votes. This time, the BJP is aiming to win a majority of the Lok Sabha seats from Odisha.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Strong room being opened in Chennai district ahead of the counting of votes for the #LokSabhaElections2024

The counting of votes will begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/6KyZe9yguX

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

#WATCH | Odisha: On the vote counting for #LokSabhaElections2024, DCP Bhubaneswar Prateek Singh says, "People have started entering the counting centre. All the party agents and the counting personnel have entered and taken their positions. We are prepared for the counting… pic.twitter.com/tZCfP9TphP

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

2024 is the Election Year. More than 80 countries are scheduled to hold elections this year, some of them have already concluded. These include some of the wealthiest and most powerful, the most populous, the most authoritarian, and the most fragile nations. Many of these elections would test the limits of democracy, while others would be mere exercises in rubber-stamping. But why does the Indian General Election, also known as the Indian Lok Sabha 2024 election stand out?

On June 4, 2024, India will witness the culmination of its democratic exercise with the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha Elections. The counting process is quite intricate with special checks and balances to ensure transparency, accuracy, and fairness.

We dive into the machinery behind vote counting, from EVM storage after polling to the selection and training of counting staff to the stringent measures ensuring the integrity of the process.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: Multi-level security cover in place at SKICC-Centaur counting centre in #Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.#LSResultsWithPTI#LSPolls2024WithPTI#LokSabhaElections2024WithPTI

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/xFdJ7x1Pdb

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

These elections were not just big, they were special too.

The 2024 elections saw a remarkable increase in female voter registrations. Out of over 2.63 crore new electors, 1.41 crore were female electors who surpassed newly enrolled male voters (about 1.22 crore) by over 15%.

The gender ration of electoral rolls increased from 940 in 2023 to 948 in 2024.

These elections also saw a higher youth engagement. More than 2 crore young voters in the 18-19 and 20-29 age groups were added to the electoral roll.

To empower persons with disabilities (PwD), around 88.35 lakh PwD electors were flagged in the electoral roll database, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity on polling day.

India’s elections, the biggest and longest in the world, are colossal, colourful, and complex.

But just how big are the elections in the world’s most populous country?

Check out these numbers – 96.88 crore voters registered to vote – the largest electorate in the world, voters cast their ballot at 10.5 lakh polling stations to elect 543 politicians from 2,600 political parties and hundreds of ‘independents’. More than 26 lakh vials of indelible ink was supplied for the conduct of these elections (a 10 ml vial of ink can be used to mark the fingers of around 700 people).

Trends become clear by afternoon, though the official count comes with a lag of a couple of hours.

After the Election Commission announces the results of all 543 seats, the country’s president invites the leader of the party, or an alliance, which has crossed the majority mark of 272 seats to form the government. The coalition then chooses its prime minister to lead the government.

This year, a new Lok Sabha has to be in place before its term ends on June 16.

#WATCH | Security heightened at a counting centre in Maharashtra's Nagpur.

Vote counting for #LokSabhaElections to begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/JqLotOLuhp

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

If the NDA gets a clear majority in these elections, Narendra Modi will equal the three-term record of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Nehru served as India’s Prime Minister from 1947 till 1964 and was elected Prime Minister after his party won the general elections in 1951-52 and then in 1957 and 1962.

BJP is the first party to win clear majority in Parliament since Congress in the 1984 elections.

India is not just the world’s most populous nation, it is also one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. A clear majority for PM Modi will bolster his status as one of the world’s most powerful leaders.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections Results 2024: "As per our estimates, INDIA alliance is going to form the government. We will secure more than 295 seats. Results of exit polls will be proved wrong," says AAP MP Sanjay Singh (@SanjayAzadSln) ahead of counting of votes.… pic.twitter.com/NjEccp3xew

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

Counting begins at 8 am with the tallying of postal ballots, after which votes recorded in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) are counted.

India has moved to EVMs for national and state elections since 2000.

There is a paper slip generated with each vote cast, which is stored in a sealed box. The Election Commission counts and verifies these slips against EVM votes at five randomly selected polling stations in different segments of each constituency.

#WATCH | Security heightened at a counting centre in Haryana's Jhajjar.

Vote counting for #LokSabhaElections to begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/qQ5Am62P1W

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

VIDEO | "There are 130 tables, 16 counting halls are there, for all eight Assembly constituencies. We have given the training to all the counting staff. We have issued the passes to agents of political parties as well as polling staff," says Dayananda KA, DC Bengaluru Urban. pic.twitter.com/88GjYeXg1A

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

#WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir: Security heightened at a counting centre in Kathua.

Vote counting for #LokSabhaElections to begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/SR4XIAVSap

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: "This decisive election will script a new history and Narendra Modi will become the PM for a record third time," says former Chhattisgarh CM and BJP leader Raman Singh (@drramansingh) ahead of counting of votes. #LSResultsWithPTI… pic.twitter.com/suQxbliDv2

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 4, 2024

While the rest of the country will have to wait till June 4 to know the results of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, in Gujarat’s Surat the BJP has opened its account after the party’s candidate Mukesh Dalal won the seat unopposed.

#WATCH | Security heightened at a counting centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Vote counting for #LokSabhaElections to begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/NhoU4qURN0

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

#WATCH | Security heightened at a counting centre in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh.

Vote counting for #LokSabhaElections to begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/iq06WWob5Q

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

#WATCH | Security heightened at a counting centre in Jind, Haryana.

Vote counting for #LokSabhaElections to begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/YXFo7YXRhU

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024

Indians turned out to vote in large numbers despite the scorching heat. Though voter turnout was slightly lower this year, it followed a trend of past elections. Election officials said extreme heat may have deterred some voters.

Uttar Pradesh, the core of the country’s politics, has 80 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and SP are major parties in the state. Many seats are being contested by the Congress and the BSP.

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats and is a battlefield for the BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena, and two NCP groups.

West Bengal has 42 Lok Sabha seats and is noted for its heated political rivalry between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

With 40 Lok Sabha seats, Bihar is an important player in Indian politics. Parties such as the BJP, JD(U), and RJD compete for electoral supremacy.

With 38 Lok Sabha seats, Tamil Nadu is a stronghold for regional parties like as the DMK and AIADMK. However, the BJP hopes to make an impact this time around.