New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has taken an early lead in the vote counting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which began at 8 AM today. This election is crucial as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP is seeking a historic third consecutive term in government, while the Congress-led opposition aims to unseat them. Current trends show the NDA leading in over 238 seats, while the Opposition’s INDIA bloc is ahead in 152 seats and others 10. This aligns with most exit polls, which predicted a comfortable majority for the NDA, paving the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third consecutive term in office.
Early trends show the BJP maintaining a strong position, aligning with most exit polls that predicted a return of PM Modi to power. If successful, Modi will become the first Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to secure a third successive term.
Alongside the Lok Sabha vote counting, results for State Legislative Assemblies in Andhra Pradesh (175 Assembly constituencies) and Odisha (147 Assembly constituencies) are also being tallied. Additionally, bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies are underway.
Strict security measures have been implemented to ensure the smooth conduct of counting for over 8,000 candidates in this general election. The Lok Sabha elections, held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, saw the highest voter participation in recent history.
Key BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, are contesting in these elections. Prominent opposition figures like former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, NCP’s Supriya Sule, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav are also in the fray.
In the 2019 elections, the NDA won 353 seats, with the BJP alone securing 303. The opposition’s United Progressive Alliance (UPA) managed only 93 seats, of which the Congress secured 52. Early predictions for 2024 indicate the BJP might improve its tally from 2019, potentially gaining further ground in Odisha, West Bengal, and southern states.
As counting continues throughout the day, the final results will reveal the electoral fate of several prominent leaders and determine the political landscape of India for the next five years.