India's ruling BJP leads in 3 of 4 state poll results - TV
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BJP was leading in three heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s ruling nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was leading in three of four states in key regional polls on Sunday, indicating a big boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of general elections in six months.
The heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the southern state of Telangana, voted last month in the last set of provincial elections before the national vote due by May when Modi seeks a third term.
BJP was leading in all three heartland states, trends from the counting of votes showed on TV channels.
Polling in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram took place in several phases between Nov. 7 and 30.
Counting took place in 638 assembly constituencies in the four states on Sunday, while northeastern Mizoram will count votes Monday, according to election authorities.
Exit polls this week suggested that the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main opposition party, Indian National Congress, are in a close race and both parties are likely to win two states out of five.
‘BJP will form govt in 3 states’
Exuding confidence, ex-Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said that the BJP would secure victories in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, surpassing the halfway mark in all three states according to the latest Election Commission trends.
Speaking to ANI on the latest trends putting the BJP ahead of the Congress in the three states, a BJP veteran said, "There is a clear support for the BJP in trends. The anger of people has been reflected in voting. The BJP will form the government in all three states with an absolute majority..."
Accusing the Congress government of "backtracking" on its promises made to the public, Raman Singh said, "The biggest issues were the corruption done by the incumbent Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government and all the development work had been stalled."
Congress leading in Telangana
The Congress party has consolidated its lead in Telangana. K Chandrashekar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is trailing far behind.
The counting began at 8 am today. For the first 30 minutes, postal ballots were counted.
The Indian National Congress is leading on 69 seats. The BRS is leading on 39 seats. In a big gain for the BJP, it is leading on seven seats. It had won only a single seat in 2018.
If this trend holds true till the end, it will be a major blow to KCR, who has dominated Telangana's politics since its inception.
The exit polls have favoured the Congress. They said the party will edge past K Chandrashekar Rao's BRS.
All India Congress Observer in Telangana, Manikrao Thackeray said the Congress will win 70 seats in Telangana. He lauded Rahul Gandhi's leadership and his Bharat Jodo Yatra.
