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Laapata Ladies, Bridgerton and Heeramandi might have dominated the OTT cycle last month, but none of these dramas can hold a candle to the absolute thriller that unfolded during the Lok Sabha election cycle this year. While the parties scramble to decide their allegiances, most people are already convinced about a result familiar to the previous two general elections: <keyword id="20509939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-3-0" source="keywords">Modi 3.0</keyword>. However, the road to the end has proven anything but a bed of lotuses for the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>). Despite staunch optimism of winning 400 out of 543 seats, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (<keyword id="19938590" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDA" source="keywords">NDA</keyword>) managed to capture only 293 — a margin barely above the 272 seats majority, and dozens below their 2014 and 2019 standings. Then came the fact that the BJP, with only 240 seats won, would have to be supported by two major partner parties: the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United), if they wished to finalise a majority and form the next Lok Sabha. This meant that the ball currently remains in the courts of these two quintessential “Kingmakers”; will they keep their pre-poll promises to ensure the continuity of Mr Modi, or usurp him by joining the opposition <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA" source="keywords">INDIA</keyword> bloc? This mystery may linger not just this week, but throughout the term of the next government given the fickle nature of the Indian political system. As we move into the final few legs of this political marathon, the story has only taken a turn for the juicier. According to media reports, INDIA has now offered the position of Deputy Prime Minister to JD(U) Nitish Kumar and a special status to Andhra Pradesh (with TDP majority) if the parties align with the alliance and forsake their NDA partnership. If they agree, the INDIA-TDP-JD(U) coalition could overthrow BJP-NDA to form the government, making for the biggest <keyword id="21945335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="political-plot-twist" source="keywords">political plot twist</keyword> in decades. While we wait for the historical gavel to drop, let’s take a look back at the other bombshells to have come out of the tallying process so far. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP falls short of majority" comment="subhead" text="BJP falls short of majority">BJP falls short of majority</cmsannotation> Despite battle cries of ‘Abki baar 400 par’, the Modi-led party has failed to cross the required 272 seats necessary for a clear majority and stands far below their performances in 2014 and 2019. They are no longer self-sufficient enough to make a third term without the support from allies. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP loses ground in Hindi Heartland" comment="subhead" text="BJP loses ground in Hindi Heartland">BJP loses ground in Hindi Heartland</cmsannotation> The northern states, which constitute a large section of the Hindi-speaking population, have been considered BJP’s biggest loyalists. Despite this, the party has faced unexpected stiff competition in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Haryana. These are crucial states for the BJP, as they hold a large number of seats and losing a majority of these seats has weakened their moral position. While some blame the loss on the anger of dominant castes in the region, others say that the party ignored these stronghold regions in pursuit of expansion to the east and south. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="NDA wins below 300 seats, far below landslide 400 predictions" comment="subhead" text="NDA wins below 300 seats, far below landslide 400 predictions">NDA wins below 300 seats, far below landslide 400 predictions</cmsannotation> Not only has BJP itself been unable to capture the required majority, their NDA coalition hasn’t even touched 300 Lok Sabha seats. This indicates a significant loss of public support compared to predictions. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP loses Ram Temple Constituency" comment="subhead" text="BJP loses Ram Temple Constituency">BJP loses <keyword id="41267" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-temple" source="Orion">Ram Temple</keyword> Constituency</cmsannotation> Construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has been one of BJP’s most prominent election promises in the past two elections. Despite delivering on this front, the party has lost the Faizabad seat to Samajwadi Party candidate Awadhesh Prasad. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lotus blooms down south" comment="subhead" text="Lotus blooms down south">Lotus blooms down south</cmsannotation> BJP opened its account for the first time in Kerala with a win for actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi at the Thrissur seat. In Telangana, both BJP and Congress put up a strong performance by winning eight seats each and sidelining the regional parties. However, for the BJP, Tamil Nadu was a disappointment as it failed to win even one seat despite immense push from all quarters. The party did manage to increase the vote share to double digits despite a lack of support from the regional parties. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="BJP wins all Delhi seats" comment="subhead" text="BJP wins all Delhi seats">BJP wins all Delhi seats</cmsannotation> Making a hat-trick, the BJP won all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi for the third time, beating the Congress-AAP alliance. <h3>Individual/Regional Politics</h3><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Rahul Gandhi wins two seats" comment="subhead" text="Rahul Gandhi wins two seats">Rahul Gandhi wins two seats</cmsannotation> After a risky contest for two seats in Kerala’s Wayanad and Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli, the Congress leader has won both by a massive margin. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Kangana Ranaut wins Himachal seat" comment="subhead" text="Kangana Ranaut wins Himachal seat"><keyword id="10343350" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kangana-ranaut-wins" source="Orion">Kangana Ranaut wins</keyword> Himachal seat</cmsannotation> The celebrity candidate’s debut resulted in a strong win for the Mandi seat for BJP. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Smriti Irani loses" comment="subhead" text="Smriti Irani loses">Smriti Irani loses</cmsannotation> Despite high expectations, Smriti Irani loses the Amethi seat by a large margin to Congress’ Kishori Lal Sharma. This is a high-profile defeat for a key BJP figure. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Shashi Tharoor faces a brief hiccup" comment="subhead" text="Shashi Tharoor faces a brief hiccup">Shashi Tharoor faces a brief hiccup</cmsannotation> Earlier trends had briefly indicated trouble for the recurrent Thiruvananthapuram MP. However, the tides turned quickly, handing Tharoor the win over Rajeev Chandrasekhar. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan wins" comment="subhead" text="Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan wins">Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan wins</cmsannotation> Stepping up to politics for the first time, cricketer turned politician Yusuf Pathan won West Bengal’s Baharampur seat for the Trinamool Congress. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Jailed pro-Khalistani candidate victorious in Punjab" comment="subhead" text="Jailed pro-Khalistani candidate victorious in Punjab">Jailed pro-Khalistani candidate victorious in Punjab</cmsannotation> Amritpal Singh, a notable Khalistan supporter and independent candidate clinched the Khadoor Sahib seat from jail in Punjab. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Sexual assault-accused Prajwal Revanna pulls considerable vote share" comment="subhead" text="Sexual assault-accused Prajwal Revanna pulls considerable vote share">Sexual assault-accused Prajwal Revanna pulls considerable vote share</cmsannotation> Despite a final win by Congress candidate Shreyas M. Patel in Karnataka’s Hassan constituency, JD(U)’s Prajwal Revanna garnered 46.5% of the total votes. This has occurred despite being in police custody and having a massive sexual assault case lodged against the candidate. <h3>Other notable events</h3><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Indore sets record for highest NOTA voters" comment="subhead" text="Indore sets record for highest NOTA voters">Indore sets record for highest NOTA voters</cmsannotation> Controversy had earlier erupted in Indore after Congress candidate Akshya Kanti Bam deferred to BJP shortly before the voting process had begun. In response, over 2 lakh voters placed their bets on ‘None of the Above’, expressing dissatisfaction with the choices presented to them. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Stock market falls by COVID-19 levels" comment="subhead" text="Stock market falls by COVID-19 levels">Stock market falls by COVID-19 levels</cmsannotation> Anticipating an easy win and stable third term for Modi, the Indian stock surged right before the election. However, government uncertainty later on spurred the Nifty and BSE Sensex indices to crash by as much as 8.5%.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Biggest shockers to come out of the thrilling election results

In a significant diplomatic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu at <keyword id="20751669" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hyderabad-House" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Hyderabad House" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Hyderabad House">Hyderabad House</keyword> in Delhi on Monday. This visit is widely seen as an effort to reset ties between the two nations after a year of tense relations. <keyword id="20101322" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="President-Muizzu" source="keywords">President Muizzu</keyword>, who arrived in India on Sunday for a five-day visit, received a red carpet welcome. During a joint press briefing, President Muizzu expressed heartfelt gratitude to India, thanking President Droupadi Murmu, <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> and the people of India for their warm reception. He emphasised the Maldives' deep-rooted ties with India, noting that tourism — especially Indian visitors—remains a crucial pillar of the Maldivian economy. “India is our largest source market for tourists, and we hope to welcome even more Indian visitors in the future,” Muizzu remarked. Key areas of cooperation discussed included economic ties and maritime security, critical given the Maldives' position in the Indian Ocean. Following their talks, India granted the financially struggling Maldives a rollover of USD 100 million in Treasury bills, in addition to formalising a <keyword id="23458604" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="currency-swap-agreement" source="keywords">currency swap agreement</keyword> and a ₹3,000 crore currency swap. Prime Minister Modi characterised the "development partnership" as a key component of India-Maldives relations, asserting that India has consistently prioritised the needs of the Maldivian people. "Our development partnership is vital to our relationship with the Maldives, and we have always placed importance on the priorities of its people. This year, SBI rolled over USD 100 million in Treasury Bills, and a USD 400 million currency swap agreement was signed based on the Maldives' requirements," he explained. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="106837748" title="Withdraw troops by mid-March, Maldives tells India" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In September, India announced that the <keyword id="19934368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="State-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="State Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="State Bank of India">State Bank of India</keyword> would purchase Maldivian government bonds worth USD 50 million, following a similar USD 50 million transaction in May 2024. Additionally, Prime Minister Modi and President Muizzu witnessed the first <keyword id="20563654" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RuPay-card" source="keywords">RuPay card</keyword> payment transaction launched in the Maldives and virtually inaugurated the runway at Hanimaadhoo International Airport. Modi stated that India and the Maldives would soon be connected through UPI. "Recently, we launched the RuPay card in the Maldives, and in the future, we will link both countries via UPI," he said during a joint press briefing. Muizzu also expressed his desire to conclude a <keyword id="19945642" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Free-Trade-Agreement" source="keywords">Free Trade Agreement</keyword> with India, a step he believes will open the door to greater Indian investment in the Maldives. Modi emphasised India's commitment to supporting the Maldives through various initiatives, including supplying essential commodities and Covid vaccines, inaugurating airports, and constructing social housing. He noted that a new drinking water project is now operational on 28 islands, providing clean water to over 30,000 residents. The leaders also discussed the opening of consulates in Addu and Bengaluru. Tensions between India and the Maldives escalated following Muizzu's election last year, which saw a shift towards a pro-China stance and the promise to withdraw Indian troops stationed in the archipelago. His visit to China before India in January had raised eyebrows in New Delhi, as it was perceived as a slight. However, since attending Modi's swearing-in ceremony for a third term in June, Muizzu has moderated his anti-Indian rhetoric, signalling a thaw in relations. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that the discussions provided "a new impetus" to the relationship. This meeting likely marks a positive turn in Indo-Maldivian relations, setting the stage for further cooperation between the two South Asian neighbours. (With inputs from agencies) <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112094153" title="Maldives President Muizzu thanks India for economic support, affirms hope of signing FTA" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Maldives President Muizzu met with PM Modi in Delhi today. Here’s how it went!

New Delhi [India], May 16 (ANI): <keyword id="9766785" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections-2024" source="Orion">Lok Sabha elections 2024</keyword> have seen a <keyword id="20108198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-turnout" source="keywords">voter turnout</keyword> at polling stations of about 66.95 per cent so far, as approximately 451 million people have voted during the first four phases of ongoing general elections. In a bid to encourage voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers, ECI has enhanced its targeted interventions to reach out to every eligible voter. The Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, further directed CEOs of the states going to poll in the fifth, sixth and seventh phases to timely distribute voter information slips to all electors and enhance outreach activities. "Commission strongly believes that partnership and collaboration are essential pillars of the voter awareness programme. It's heartening to see that, at the Commission's request, different institutions, influencers and celebrities with significant reach are working enthusiastically on a pro-bono basis," Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said. Further, he added that a higher voter turnout would be a message from Indian voters to the world, about the strength of Indian Democracy. He urges all the voters to cast their vote in huge numbers, as voting day is not a holiday but a day of pride, by participating in the festival of democracy. According to an official release, various <keyword id="21686177" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-awareness-drives" source="keywords">voter awareness drives</keyword> and campaigns have been carried out by stakeholders in collaboration with ECI. Telecom Service Providers such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Bharti Airtel Limited, Jio Telecommunication, and Vodafone-Idea Limited are reaching out to every mobile user in the respective parliamentary constituency through push SMS/Flash SMSs, outbound dialling calls to mobile users, RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging and WhatsApp messages/alerts. These activities are carried out two/three days before the poll and even on the poll day, in regional languages, with an appeal to vote. ECI has collaborated with BCCI for voter awareness activities during the ongoing IPL season. The voter awareness messages and songs are being played at different stadiums during the cricket matches. The most innovative aspect of this campaign is the administration of voter's pledges by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in a pre-recorded video message, at various IPL venues. Further, voter awareness messages are integrated into cricket commentary. Cricketers from 10 IPL teams have encouraged voters to participate in the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections in 2024 with their recorded voter awareness messages. A voting day alert was sent to all Facebook users pan India to inform and inform the voters about the general elections and to nudge them to participate in the festival of democracy, the release mentioned. The release further stated that WhatsApp personalised messages have begun on polling day. Google India is contributing through its iconic feature of Google Doodle on poll days and banners appearing on YouTube, Google Pat and other Google platforms. The Retail Association of India has been actively engaging with voter awareness activities, through their retail network, whereby retail chains are encouraged to celebrate the election as a festival. The vast network of post offices and banking institutions was utilised by ECI to reach out to a wide and diverse audience across the length and breadth of the country. In collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the parliamentary elections campaign logo "Chunav ka Parv, Desh ka Garv" has been integrated with the IRCTC portal and tickets. Voter awareness announcements have been integrated with the public address system at all railway stations. The logo stickers are used on coaches of the superfast trains. In collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, hoardings on voter awareness have been installed in about 16,000 retail outlets. In collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, airlines are making an inflight announcement with an appeal message to participate in the ensuing elections. Voter guides are being kept in aircraft seat pockets. Apart from this, many airports are providing space for the display of voter awareness messages. Selfie points have been installed at airports in 10 major cities viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, Chandigarh, and Pune. Cinema theatres across the country are playing ECI voter awareness films and ECI Song Main Bharat Hoon, Hum Bharat Ke Matdata Hai, at regular intervals, as a part of the Public Service Awareness (PSA) film. Sansad TV is creating short films on Unique Polling Stations set up in remote corners of the country by the election machinery after navigating difficult terrains to demonstrate the challenges in ensuring voting at the last mile. AMUL, Mother Dairy and other milk co-operatives have started branding their milk pouches with the message 'Chunav Ka Parv, Desh ka Garv' and encouraging voters through social media platforms. AMUL is also encouraging voters with its unique messaging through AMUL Girl Topical advertisements in newspapers. Prasar Bharati: Doordarshan has produced, various short films, including appeals from constitutional functionaries like President of India, Vice President of India, and Chief Justice of India, among others. Further, unique polling stations are being covered by the regional Kendra's audio-visual documentation. Music App Spotify is running a campaign called 'Play Your Part', and they have issued print advertisements, and curated the playlists for the elections, on their app. Payments app PhonePe has integrated voter awareness message into their app and is actively encouraging voters. BookMyShow has launched an integrated campaign, titled "Aaj Picture Nahi, Bigger Picture Dekho," to raise awareness among voters. MakeMyTrip is running a campaign titled 'MyVoteWalaTrip', whereby discounts are offered to citizens going to vote. Food delivery platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy are disseminating voter awareness messages through their platforms and social media activities. Grocery App Blinkit changed its logo to "Inkit" for the elections, incorporating a message encouraging people to "Go out and Vote" as a tagline. Uber India is reaching out to voters through multi-channel messaging (in-app, emails, push notifications), offering discounts for rides to polling stations, and amplifying voter awareness messages on social media platforms. Bike app Rapido has been encouraging voters with a free ride to vote. Urban Company has launched 'I Have Voted Campaign' to encourage voters. Tata Neu app, serving as the Tata Group's group-wide consumer-facing mobile app, prominently features the "Cast Your Vote" animated banner on its homepage, with additional initiatives currently underway. Truecaller is enhancing its layout by displaying voter awareness message during outbound calls Some other independent initiatives are Mankind Pharma #VotingVirgin campaign, clothing brand Neeru's "Vote ki Taiyaari" TVC, Tinder's "Every Single Vote Counts" campaign, creatively curated social media post by Matrimonial sites like Jeevansathi.com, etc and discounts for voting by popular brands such as Shoppers' Stop, MakeMyTrip, Chroma and many more. Four phases of Lok Sabha polls have been held and the voting will conclude on June 1 with results on June 4. The remaining phases will be held on May 20, May 25, and June 1.

451 million voters! First four phases of Lok Sabha elections witness 66.95% voter turnout so far

The <keyword id="19935664" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aam-Aadmi-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Aam Aadmi Party" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Aam Aadmi Party">Aam Aadmi party</keyword> is set to announce the new <keyword id="19919270" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi-Chief-Minister" source="keywords">Delhi Chief Minister</keyword> by 12 pm today after the party's legislative meeting in the national capital. According to the Aam Aadmi Party, the meeting will be held at the Chief Minister's residence today. Following this, <keyword id="19901384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal" source="keywords">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> will meet the <keyword id="20976840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lieutenant-Governor-VK-Saxena" source="keywords">Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena</keyword> at 4:30 p.m. today and the newly chosen leader of the legislative party will simultaneously stake a claim for the post of Chief Minister. Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj remained tight-lipped about who will succeed Arvind <keyword id="19895701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kejriwal" source="keywords">Kejriwal</keyword> as Chief Minister, stating only that the successor could be either a current minister or an MLA. "It does not matter who sits on the CM chair because the mandate was for Arvind Kejriwal. The public chose Arvind Kejriwal. He has said that he will not sit on the CM chair until the people ask again but the chair belongs to Arvind Kejriwal for these and the next 5 years... One of us will sit on the chair until the elections take place. It will be similar to the way Bharat ruled in the absence of Lord Ram," Bharadwaj said. On being asked who will replace Arvind Kejriwal, Bharadwaj said, "It can be an MLA or any present minister. There will be a discussion with the MLAs today and the name may be decided". Kejriwal announced on Sunday that he would resign and would not resume the CM's post until the people of Delhi declared him "honest." He has also called for advancing polls in the national capital to November this year, ahead of the scheduled February elections. Kejriwal stated that if re-elected by the public, it would serve as a "certificate" of his honesty. He added that he would push for early elections, alongside those in Maharashtra. The announcement by the 54-year-old leader came two days after he was released from the <keyword id="20147871" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tihar-jail" source="keywords">Tihar jail</keyword> after being granted bail by the <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Supreme Court" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Supreme Court">Supreme Court</keyword> in a corruption case related to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam. The apex court also imposed certain conditions on Kejriwal's release, including that he must refrain from making public comments about the case and must attend all hearings before the trial court unless exempted.

AAP to announce New Delhi CM's name at 12 noon today

Actor-turned-politician <keyword id="20008310" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Suresh-Gopi" source="keywords">Suresh Gopi</keyword> who is poised for a <keyword id="21145935" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="historic-win" source="keywords">historic win</keyword> in the parliamentary seat of <keyword id="19977207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrissur" source="keywords">Thrissur</keyword> said he is "ecstatic" about the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword> breaching the bastion in <keyword id="19896018" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kerala" source="keywords">Kerala</keyword> according to trends announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday in the counting of votes in the 2024 <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections. "What was very impossible became gloriously possible," said the actor who contested from the seat for the second time after losing in the last general elections in 2019. Gopi said he "bowed down to" the "truly <keyword id="21934911" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="secular-voters" source="keywords">secular voters</keyword>" of Thrissur, adding that there were attempts to "corrupt" the voters' mind away from the BJP but the Gods "led them in the correct path". "Attempts were made to mislead the voters but God led them on the correct path to accept my party through me ...even if some of you feel that this is a miracle, this miracle was imminent...The victory is due to people's blessings. I bow down to the truly secular voters of Thrissur who made this victory possible," the actor said. He further said that "...Narendra Modi is my political God. ..I am not believing in just a manifesto...I will work for the whole Kerala...I will work as Kerala MP..." The 65-year-old actor said, " I am in totally an ecstatic mood. What was very impossible became gloriously possible...it was not a 62-day campaign process, it was an emotional carriage for the past 7 years...I work for Kerala as a whole. My first pick will be to have AIIMS..." Gopi also credited his victory to the BJP workers who worked in his election campaign. "I also credit my party workers who worked in more than a thousand booths in the constituency. A lot of mothers and sisters from other districts and states also worked for me. Many of them came from Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Their effort made a positive impact," he said. Suresh Gopi was leading with 400706 votes in the Thrissur constituency with a margin of 73091 votes over <keyword id="21934912" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="v-s-sunil" source="keywords">V S Sunil</keyword> Kumar of the CPI and <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>' Muraleedharan of the Congress who polled 319560 votes as per data on the poll body's website at 2 pm. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was leading by 3,28,460 votes in Wayanad constituency over his nearest rival CPI's Annie Raja, as per Election Commission data. Congress sitting MP Shashi Tharoor took a lead over BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram with 325896 votes and CPI's Pannian Raveendran in third spot, data by EC said. Congress' KC Venugopal was leading with 364811 votes against nearest rival AM Ariff of the CPI (M) while BJP's <keyword id="21418632" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sobha-surendran" source="keywords">Sobha Surendran</keyword> trailed in the third place. The polling in Kerala was held in single phase on April 26. The voter turnout was recorded at 71.27 per cent. Out of the total 2,77,49,158 voters in Kerala, a total of 1,97,77,478 exercised their franchise. In the 2019 General Elections, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP failed to open its account in the southern state. In its attempt to garner votes in Kerala, the BJP focussed on the Christian community in the state which accounts for 18.38 per cent of the total population. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP crossed the majority mark in early leads and the INDIA bloc above 200, defying all exit poll predictions. The BJP is currently leading on 240 seats, as per the latest trends by the ECI. The Lok Sabha elections were held across the country in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. (ANI)

"Miracle was imminent", says Suresh Gopi after BJP's historic Lok Sabha victory in Kerala

Former <keyword id="19904807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Haryana" source="keywords">Haryana</keyword> Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh <keyword id="20201620" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hooda" source="keywords">Hooda</keyword> on Tuesday said that <keyword id="19934969" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers" source="keywords">farmers</keyword>' plight, <keyword id="21440881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agnipath" source="keywords">Agnipath</keyword>, <keyword id="19916979" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="unemployment" source="keywords">unemployment</keyword>, <keyword id="19938433" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="law-and-order" source="keywords">law and order</keyword>, and <keyword id="19895000" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflation" source="keywords">inflation</keyword> were key issues which the ruling <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> failed to address. As the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> appeared set to wrest five Lok Sabha seats from the ruling BJP in Haryana, Hooda said that he had been saying "there is a wave blowing in favour of the Congress". "You asked me about exit polls predicting most seats to the BJP, to which I said wait for the actual poll results on June 4," the Congress veteran said. Haryana is known for "jai jawan, jai kisan, jai pehalwan". "But what did they (BJP) do. They brought Agniveer (Agnipath scheme), which faced opposition from the youth. They did not redress farmers' issues. And everyone knows the treatment that was meted to our wrestler daughters, who had to protest (at Delhi's Jantar Mantar)," he said. Hooda said that unemployment increased in the state during the BJP rule while the law and order situation also deteriorated. He claimed that the Congress' performance in the <keyword id="19912155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-polls" source="keywords">Lok Sabha polls</keyword> in the state will have an impact on the Vidhan Sabha elections, which are due in October. "This is clear indication that people of Haryana have made up their mind to bring the Congress to power in the Assembly polls," Hooda claimed. Referring to the Lok Sabha polls, Hooda said people have supported the Congress. The Congress leader said that he had been maintaining that BJP will be "wiped out in south, halved in north" "Look at Haryana and Rajasthan...People have given us good support," he added. On the BJP's claims that NDA will win 400 seats this time, Hooda said, "I had been saying that it was a mere slogan. In Haryana too, in the 2019 Assembly polls, the BJP had given slogan of 'Abki baar 75 paar' (claiming to win 75 of the 90 seats). Everyone knows how many seats they later won. (BJP had won 40 seats)." Hooda said that he had maintained that it will be a direct fight between the Congress and BJP in Haryana in the Lok Sabha polls. "I had been repeatedly saying that it is going to be a direct fight between the Congress and BJP. And that has been proved," said Hooda. "The people have rejected the 'vote katu' (vote cutters) outfits," he added referring to the JJP and INLD. Going by the trends available late afternoon, the Congress appeared on course to win Ambala, Hisar, Rohtak, Sirsa and Sonipat seats. The grand old party had contested nine of the ten Lok Sabha seats leaving the Kurukshetra seat to its INDIA bloc ally AAP. AAP's Sushil Gupta, was, however, behind BJP's Naveen Jindal from the seat.

BJP failed to address key issues like inflation and unemployment, says Bhupinder Hooda

The <keyword id="20000743" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RJD" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="RJD" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="RJD">RJD</keyword> on Tuesday afternoon claimed that Bihar Chief Minister <keyword id="19907431" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nitish-Kumar" source="keywords">Nitish Kumar</keyword> and Telugu Desam Party president <keyword id="19926151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrababu-Naidu" source="keywords">Chandrababu Naidu</keyword> "shared a dislike for vendetta politics" which could lead them away from the BJP-led <keyword id="19938590" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDA" source="keywords">NDA</keyword>. RJD national spokesperson Manoj <keyword id="20785661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kumar-jha" source="keywords">Kumar Jha</keyword> also recalled the forecast of Kumar, who heads the JD(U), that "those who came to power will be ousted in 2024", and the efforts he made in laying the foundation of the <keyword id="19895684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA-bloc" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="INDIA bloc" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="INDIA bloc">INDIA bloc</keyword>. "We have been, formerly, in alliance with both Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu. We know they share a dislike for vendetta politics which the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> stands for. Narendra Modi seems to be on his way out. We are hopeful that the two leaders will play a crucial role in the change of guard at the Centre," Jha told reporters here. He also made it clear, "I am making no appeal to Nitish Kumar or Chandrababu Naidu. I am only expressing my hope, given the understanding I have of their temperament". Notably, the JD(U) has put up a better than expected performance in <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> polls, establishing a lead in 14 out of the 16 seats it had contested, surpassing the BJP which had fought 17 but was trailing in five of these. In Bihar, the INDIA bloc was leading in only eight out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats but Jha was confident that the numbers would look up for the coalition in the state, even as he complained about the tardy pace of counting. "We have written to the Election Commission drawing attention towards the extremely slow pace of counting. Only 3-4 lakh votes have been counted till afternoon in most seats in Bihar where, on an average, about 10 lakh people have exercised their franchise in each constituency," said Jha. "We are confident that as the counting progresses, in many seats where we are trailing by slender margins, the picture will change. But we urge the Election Commission to carry out the exercise as per the rule book and not act on any telephone calls they may be getting from Delhi," said the Rajya Sabha MP, who has been alleging that the poll panel has often acted under pressure from the ruling BJP at the Centre. "To all our cadres in the INDIA coalition, I would appeal not to let their guard down. Counting may continue till late in the evening. We must remain vigilant," said Jha. Among the INDIA constituents in Bihar, RJD had contested 23 seats, out of which it was trailing in all but four, while Congress, which got nine seats, was leading in two. The CPI(ML) Liberation, which had contested three seats, was leading in two.

Nitish, Naidu may dump NDA, help INDIA bloc form govt: RJD

New Delhi, Several political parties declined to share details of electoral bond donors citing various legal provisions, while others said they received the funding instruments through "drop box" or by post without any name. The DMK, which received most of its donations from a lottery firm, reached out to its donors to seek details of the electoral bonds as demanded by the <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supreme-court" source="keywords">Supreme Court</keyword> in 2019. The BJP cited the amendments to the Representation of People Act, 1951 and the relevant portions of the Reserve Bank of India Act and the Income Tax Act for not revealing its donors. "It is duly submitted that the electoral bonds were introduced with the aim of bringing only accounted for funds in political funding while protecting the donors from any consequences, therefrom," the BJP said in its letter to the <keyword id="19895782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election-commission" source="keywords">Election Commission</keyword>. The <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="congress" source="keywords">Congress</keyword> shot off a letter to the <keyword id="19934368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-bank-of-india" source="keywords">State Bank of India</keyword> (SBI) seeking details of donors of electoral bonds, the amount, the bank account in which it was credited and the date. The SBI responded to the Congress that the details of the electoral bonds were available with the political parties and shared the statement of the bank account which was shared with the Commission. The Samajwadi Party shared details of bonds of relatively smaller amounts of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, but merely mentioned that 10 bonds of Rs 1 crore each were received by post without any name. The DMK, which received almost 77 per cent of its funds from lottery king Santiago Martin's Future Gaming, said it had reached out to the donors of the party to get details of the donations they had made. "The scheme also does not require the details of the donor to be furnished to the donee. ... Be that as it may, following the directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court, we contacted our donors and we were able to collect the details from them," the DMK said. The <keyword id="19910625" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="telugu-desam-party" source="keywords">Telugu Desam Party</keyword> mentioned "not readily available" in the column for listing out the names of donors. The <keyword id="19968095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="trinamool-congress" source="keywords">Trinamool Congress</keyword> said the electoral bonds were sent to the party office and were "dropped in the drop box". The party said some bonds were sent through messengers from various persons who wished to support the party, many of whom prefer to remain anonymous. The NCP, then led by Sharad Pawar, expressed inability to furnish details of donors against each bond as the party had not maintained details or issued any receipts. The letter by the NCP to the Election Commission said several of its office-bearers were busy with the election campaign. "Wherever possible we have indicated the name of the person through whom bonds were received by the party," the NCP said. The Goa unit of the Congress reached out to its donor V M Salgaonkar and Brothers to get details of the electoral bonds worth Rs 30 lakh given by them to the party. The RJD said the details about donations worth Rs 1.5 crore were not readily available. The Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) has told the Election Commission that someone delivered to its office an envelope with electoral bonds worth Rs 10 crore in 2019, which were redeemed by the party.

Electoral bonds dropped at office, received by post, say political parties

New Delhi, The <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supreme-court" source="keywords">Supreme Court</keyword> on Thursday struck down the electoral bond scheme, saying it violates the right to information and the freedom of speech and expression under the Constitution. In a landmark judgement that will have wide ramifications, it ordered the <keyword id="19934368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-bank-of-india" source="keywords">State Bank of India</keyword> to disclose to the <keyword id="19895782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election-commission" source="keywords">Election Commission</keyword> the names of the contributors to the six-year-old scheme. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice <keyword id="19936357" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="d-y-chandrachud" source="keywords">D Y Chandrachud</keyword> delivered two separate and unanimous verdicts on the pleas challenging the scheme, delivering a major blow to the central government. Pronouncing the verdict, the CJI said the scheme is violative of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of Constitution. The bench said the fundamental right to privacy also includes citizens' right to political privacy and affiliation. It also held as invalid the amendments made in various laws, including the <keyword id="20592932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="representation-of-peoples-act" source="keywords">Representation of Peoples Act</keyword> and the Income Tax laws. It directed that the issuing bank shall stop issuance of electoral bonds and the State Bank of India shall submit details of electoral bonds purchased since April 12, 2019 till date to the Election Commission. The top court had on November 2 last year reserved its verdict in the matter. The scheme, which was notified by the government on January 2, 2018, was pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency in political funding. According to the provisions of the scheme, electoral bonds may be purchased by any citizen of India or entity incorporated or established in the country. An individual can buy electoral bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals without disclosing the identity. Critics have said this eliminates transparency in electoral funding and gives an edge to the ruling parties.

SC strikes down electoral bond scheme, terms it unconstitutional

In a major setback to Delhi's <keyword id="19935664" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aam-Aadmi-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Aam Aadmi Party" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="Aam Aadmi Party">Aam Aadmi Party</keyword> government, the <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Supreme Court" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="Supreme Court">Supreme Court</keyword> on Monday ruled that the law "expressly enables" the lieutenant governor to nominate <keyword id="22669982" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aldermen" source="keywords">aldermen</keyword> to the <keyword id="19900879" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mcd" source="keywords">MCD</keyword> and he is not bound by the advice of the council of ministers in the matter. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala rejected the <keyword id="19925995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-government" source="keywords">Delhi government</keyword>'s plea challenging the LG's power to nominate 10 aldermen in the <keyword id="19907640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Municipal-Corporation-of-Delhi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Municipal Corporation of Delhi" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="Municipal Corporation of Delhi">Municipal Corporation of Delhi</keyword> without the aid and advice of the council of ministers. The apex court pronounced its verdict on the Delhi government's plea after reserving it for nearly 15 months. In its ruling impacting the fraught relationship between the LG's office and the AAP-led Delhi government, the bench said the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act as amended in 1993 "expressly enables the LG to nominate persons having special knowledge to the corporation". It said the power expressed by the statute in the name of the LG, also seen in the context of other provisions, demonstrates the statutory scheme in which the powers and duties are distributed among authorities under the Act. "The context in which the power is located confirms that the LG is intended to act as per the mandate of the statute and not guided by the aid and advice of the council of ministers. The power to be exercised is the statutory duty of the LG and not the executive power of the state. This is how we analysed the constitutional provisions," Justice Narasimha said while pronouncing the verdict on behalf of the bench. The bench said the statutory power under provision 3(3)(b)(1) which deals with nomination of persons having special knowledge was vested with the LG for the first time by the 1993 amendment of the DMC Act of 1957. The bench said the DMC Act as amended in 1993 recognises five authorities exercising the state's power and duties under the Act -- these are the Central government, the government of NCT, administrator, corporation and the commissioner. It said the amendment Act of 1993 carries out several amendments to the original DMC Act of 1957 by which the power, duties were allocated to the authorities depending on the function they perform under the law. The bench said by way of the amendment the power of nomination of aldermen was given to LG under the provision just like the power of nomination of MLAs was given to the speaker of the House. On May 17 last year, the top court had said that giving the LG the power to nominate aldermen to the MCD will mean he can destabilise an elected civic body. The MCD has 250 elected and 10 nominated members. In December 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party defeated the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="345" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> in the civic elections, winning 134 wards and ending the saffron party's 15-year run at the helm of the MCD. The BJP won 104 seats and the Congress finished a distant third with nine. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, had contended during the hearing that no separate powers have been accorded to the state government to nominate people to the MCD. For the past 30 years, the practice of the LG nominating aldermen on the aid and advice of the city government has been followed, he said. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the LG's office, submitted that just because a practice has been followed for 30 years does not mean it is correct. The top court had observed that giving the LG the power to nominate aldermen will effectively mean that he can destabilise a democratically elected MCD because these aldermen get appointed to the standing committees and have voting power. Earlier, the top court had questioned the "source of power" of the LG under the Constitution and the law to nominate aldermen to the MCD without the aid and advice of the elected government. On May 12 last year, the top court observed that LG has to act on the "aid and advice" of the council of ministers of the Delhi government in nominating 10 aldermen to the MCD.

SC backs LG's right to nominate aldermen to MCD, setback for AAP govt

New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): The mammoth exercise to count votes polled for the Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections will begin at 8 am on Tuesday, with trends and results following shortly thereafter. Results of the <keyword id="6372146" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assembly-elections" source="Orion">Assembly elections</keyword> in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were held simultaneously with voting for the 543-member Lok Sabha. Results of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies will also be declared today. Here're the LIVE results: <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Infographic"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will seek a third consecutive term in government, while the Congress-led opposition aims to unseat them. Most <keyword id="43771" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="exit-polls" source="Orion">exit polls</keyword> have predicted a return of PM Modi to power, a development which will make him the first Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to secure a third successive term in power, Meanwhile, a delegation of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders met with the Election Commission of India urging it to ensure that postal ballots are counted and their results declared before the outcome of the EVMs is announced. Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had said that a "very robust system" has been put in place. "There are around 10.5 lakh booths. Each booth will have 14 tables. There are observers and micro-observers. Nearly, 70-80 lakh people are involved in the process," he said. The national capital is all set to witness the battle. With tight security arrangements in place, Delhi is well-prepared to watch the results of the 2024 <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-Elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword>. Around 70 companies of the security forces will be deployed at all seven counting centres across the national capital as part of the elaborate security arrangements made by the Delhi Police for today. Delhi traffic police issued a fresh advisory ahead of the counting of votes scheduled for Tuesday, listing key roads where traffic restrictions and diversions will start from 5 am onwards to ensure smooth vehicular movement. Prime Minister Modi's hometown, Gujarat, is also preparing for the vote-counting day as security forces rehearse and perform drills for the effortless conduct of D-day. Exit polls have predicted the return of the BJP to power. Various exit polls have given the BJP more than 64 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is poised for a hat-trick win in Lok Sabha polls with a massive majority. Exit polls were predicted on Saturday and indicated that the ruling party at the Centre would improve its performance in several states ruled by other parties. A few exit polls predicted that the BJP-led NDA could reach the goal of "400 paar" stated by BJP leaders in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. The exit polls predicted that the ruling BJP-led NDA is poised to improve its performance over its 2019 record when it won 352 seats. Two polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52. The Lok Sabha elections were conducted in seven phases- on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting trends and results, as per data entered by RO/ARO for AC/PC will be available on the ECI website as well as on the Voter Helpline App, both iOS and Android Mobile Apps, according to the ECI. The Voter Helpline App can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple Play Store. Users can use the available filter to find out the winning/leading or trailing candidate details, along with the constituency-wise or State-wise results from the Voter Helpline App. The local display of the trends and results by the CEOs/ROs/DEOs may also be done through the Digital Display Panels, it said.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 results: Mammoth vote-counting exercise set to begin at 8 am, amid high security

New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): With counting progressing in <keyword id="19912155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-polls" source="keywords">Lok Sabha polls</keyword>, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led <keyword id="20344628" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Democratic-Alliance" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="National Democratic Alliance" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="National Democratic Alliance">National Democratic Alliance</keyword> is leading on more than 100 seats as per the latest trends according to TV channels. Around 642 million people voted in Lok Sabha elections held over seven phases in a mammoth six-week period. The counting of votes began starting with postal ballot papers amid tight security. The counting for State Legislative Assemblies of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies also began. The Lok Sabha elections for 543 seats of the lower house were held across seven phases. The <keyword id="19931558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharatiya Janata Party" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharatiya Janata Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> is eyeing a third straight term in power, while the Opposition under the umbrella of the <keyword id="19895684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA-bloc" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="INDIA bloc" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="INDIA bloc">INDIA bloc</keyword> is seeking to wrest power from the ruling party.Most exit polls predicted a straight term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with quite few of them projecting a two-thirds majority for the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (<keyword id="41281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NDA" source="Orion">NDA</keyword>). The Congress party and its allies dismissed the exit polls as "orchestrated" and a work of "fantasy", asserting that the opposition INDIA bloc will form the next government at the Centre. Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general election. With counting began for the Lok Sabha elections, which have seen the largest voter participation, the electoral fate of several leaders across the political spectrum will be decided. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are among the senior BJP leaders in the fray. Key opposition leaders, including former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, NCP's Supriya Sule, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, are also contesting the poll. Two polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52. Even before the counting of the votes, the Bharatiya Janata Party won one seat of Surat Lok Sabha. Earlier on April 22, Mukesh Dalal won the election "unopposed". Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was rejected. His candidacy was rejected because of alleged discrepancies in the signatures of the proposers.

Lok Sabha election results: BJP-led NDA leading in 100 plus seats in early trends

New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): With counting slated for today for the <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword>, which have seen the largest voter participation, the electoral fate of several leaders across the political spectrum will be decided. Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>, Home Minister <keyword id="19899491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Shah" source="keywords">Amit Shah</keyword> and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are among the senior BJP leaders in the fray. Key opposition leaders, including former Congress chief <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword>, NCP's <keyword id="20083020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supriya-Sule" source="keywords">Supriya Sule</keyword> and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, are also contesting the poll. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Infographic"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> Here is a look at some key contests involving prominent leaders: 1. Narendra Modi: Prime Minister Modi, is seeking a third term from Varanasi, the constituency that paved his way to the Lok Sabha after his stint as Chief Minister. He is pitted against Congress leader and INDIA bloc candidate Ajay Rai. PM Modi won the seat by huge margins in 2014 and 2019. 2. Amit Shah: The Union Home Minister entered the Lok Sabha in 2019 from Gandhinagar and is seeking his second straight term from the seat, which has been held by BJP veterans in the past. Shah, who earlier served as BJP President, is against Congress candidate Sonal Patel. 3. Rahul Gandhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from two seats -- Wayanad and Raebareli. Gandhi, who lost the family bastion seat of Amethi in 2019 and entered the Lok Sabha from Wayanad, is aiming to maintain the party's lone bastion left in the state. He is up against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh and BJP's K. Surendran, as well as CPI-M's Annie Raja in Wayanad. 4. Supriya Sule and <keyword id="20734555" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sunetra-pawar" source="keywords">Sunetra Pawar</keyword>: The Baramati constituency is another 'hot seat' that will decide the future of the 'Pawar' legacy. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is against his cousin Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, from the seat. The exit polls have predicted a tight contest. 5. <keyword id="42749" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shashi-Tharoor" source="Orion">Shashi Tharoor</keyword>: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who is a three-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, is facing a three-way contest against BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI-M's Panniyan Ravindran. The exit polls have predicted a tight contest. 6. K. Annamalai: BJP Tamil Nadu chief and rising face in the south, K Annamalai, is aiming to make the party's inroads in the state. Contesting from Coimbatore, the former cop is up against DMK leader Ganapathy P Rajkumar and AIADMK's Singai Ramachandran. 7. Rajnath Singh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is seeking a third term from Lucknow. The former Uttar Pradesh CM served as the Home Minister in BJP's first term and Defence Minister in the second term. Singh is facing SP candidate Ravidas Mehrotra and BSP candidate Sarwar Malik. 8. Abhishek Banerjee: As the BJP is aiming to make further inroads in West Bengal, and TMC is looking to maintain its fortress, TMC general secretary and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee is contesting from Diamond Harbour seeking a second term from the seat. Banerjee is pitted against CPI(M) candidate Pratikur Rahaman and BJP's Abhijit Das. 9. Akhilesh Yadav: Former Uttar Pradesh CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav made a surprise entry in the Lok Sabha polls, announcing his candidature from Kannauj. Yadav, who is an MLA from Karhal assembly constituency, is facing incumbent MP and BJP leader Subrat Pathak. 10. Asaduddin Owaisi: The Hyderabad constituency is bracing for a big showdown with four-time MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi facing a challenge against BJP candidate and actor-turned-politician Madhavi Latha. The Lok Sabha elections for 543 seats of the lower house were held across seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on Tuesday, June 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party is eyeing a third straight term in power, while the Opposition under the umbrella of the INDIA bloc is seeking to wrest power from the ruling party. Meanwhile, all the exit polls have predicted the BJP returning to power with a resounding majority, with further inroads in Odisha, West Bengal, and southern states.

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