Exit poll predictions have turned upside down, showing a tight race between the NDA and the INDIA coalition. The BJP, which expected to secure over 400 seats, is now struggling to cross the 300 mark.
As the Lok Sabha vote counting progresses, surprising trends have emerged for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In ten states, the BJP is trailing in many constituencies. Despite relief in two states, local parties have a strong hold there. In Maharashtra, the INDIA coalition has given BJP a tough fight, with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) asserting its dominance. In northern states like Punjab, Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan, farmer protests have significantly affected the BJP's performance.
In Uttar Pradesh, the largest state, the BJP's momentum appears to be waning. BJP candidates are also lagging in Haryana and Bengal. In the key seat of Amethi, Union Minister Smriti Irani is trailing by a significant margin, while Congress candidate Kishori Lal Sharma is leading. In UP, BJP is leading in 34 seats, SP in 35, and Congress in 7 out of 80 seats.
In Bihar, out of 40 Lok Sabha seats, NDA leads in 34, with BJP leading in 13, indicating a potential loss of 4 seats compared to the last election. Haryana shows a split, with BJP and Congress leading in 5 seats each, a potential loss of 5 seats for BJP.
In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee's magic seems to be working again, with the Congress leading in 30 seats and BJP in only 11. In Manipur, Congress leads in both seats. In Gujarat, Congress is leading in one out of 26 seats, a stark contrast to BJP's previous sweep.
Rajasthan shows BJP leading in 14 seats, Congress in 8, and others in 3, with BJP potentially losing 10 seats. Karnataka shows BJP leading in 16 out of 28 seats, a loss from 25 seats in 2019, while Congress leads in 10. In Punjab, BJP is trailing in all 13 seats, with Congress leading in 7, AAP in 3, and Akali Dal in 1.
Telangana and Odisha offer some relief to BJP. In Odisha, BJP leads in 18 out of 21 seats, and in Telangana, in 8 out of 17 seats, potentially doubling its previous seat count in both states. In Andhra Pradesh, NDA is leading with TDP in 16, BJP in 3, and Janasena in 2 out of 25 seats.
The Congress has made a surprising comeback, nearing 100 seats post-2024 elections. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi's extensive campaigning paid off, particularly in attracting minority votes.
