Election Results Update: UP upsets BJP's calculations to secure a majority, while the NDA surpasses the majority mark

Counting of votes for the 18th Lok Sabha election in the country is going on since this morning after voting in seven phases. As per latest trends, BJP-led NDA alliance is leading in 295 seats while the Congress-led INDIA alliance is leading in 230 seats. BJP is leading in 244 seats while Congress is leading in 98 seats. Samajwadi Party is leading in 34 seats, Trinamool Congress in 29 seats, DMK in 22 seats, Shiv Sena UBT in 9 seats, NCP SP in 7 seats, CPM in 4 seats, RJD in 4 seats, JMM in 3 seats and AAP in 3 seats. Whereas, Telugu Desam Party is leading in 16 seats, JDU in 14 seats, Shiv Sena in 6 seats and LJP in 5 seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the slogan of “Abki Bar 400 Paar” in the election. Most of the exit polls had claimed a landslide majority for BJP with more than 300 seats and NDA with more than 350 seats. But the trends so far present a very different picture. The BJP, which is leading on about 243 seats, does not seem to get the majority mark on its own. However, the NDA seems to be moving towards majority with a lead in 292 seats. The biggest setback to the BJP has come in from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. The NDA alliance has also suffered losses in Maharashtra, while in Bihar, the BJP and its allies are leading in 32 out of 40 seats. 

In UP, there is a close contest between the BJP and the opposition alliance. In UP, the strongest stronghold of the BJP, the Samajwadi Party is leading in 34 and Congress in 6 seats, while the BJP is leading in 36 and the Rashtriya Lok Dal in 2 seats. The BJP, which won a landslide victory in UP last time, has suffered a major setback in the state. The Samajwadi Party is performing much better than expected in UP. Apart from UP in the Hindi belt, the BJP seems to be suffering losses in Rajasthan and Haryana as well. However, the BJP has performed brilliantly in Odisha and has taken a lead in 19 out of 21 seats.

In Telangana, BJP is leading in 8 out of 17 seats. In Kerala too, BJP has gained lead in one seat. BJP strategy was to compensated for its loss in Hindi belt from southern states. But Tamil Nadu, kerala disappointed it, although it look that BJP will succed in opening its account in Kerala.

Congress is leading in its stronghold Amethi and Rae Bareli with big margin. Union Minister Smriti Irani is trailing in Amethi and former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi in Sultanpur. Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) candidate Chandrashekhar from Nagina is maintaining a decisive lead.

Prominent leaders who have gained lead over their rivals includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi, Rajnath Singh in Lucknow, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav in Kannauj and Mainpuri, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kishori Lal Sharma in Rae Bareli and Amethi. BJP's Arun Govil and Hema Malini are also leading over their rivals in Meerut and Mathura seats respectively.

Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Ajay Mishra Teni, Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan, Mahendra Nath Pandey and former minister  Maneka Gandhi are trailing in Amethi, Kheri, Muzaffarnagar, Chandoli and Sultanpur seats respectively. BJP, which won all 25 seats in Rajasthan last time, is leading in 14 seats while INDIA alliance is leading in 10 seats. In Haryana, Congress and BJP are leading in 5 seats each. NDA alliance has suffered losses in Maharashtra despite the split in Shiv Sena and NCP. INDIA alliance is leading in 28 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. Whereas NDA alliance is leading in only 19 seats.

BJP has maintained its strong hold in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. BJP is leading in all 29 seats in MP while in Chhattisgarh it is leading in 10 out of 11 seats. Congress is leading in Chhattisgarh in just one seat. Similarly, BJP has taken a good lead in all 7 seats of Delhi.

People of Punjab have completely rejected BJP this time. Congress is leading in 7 seats in Punjab, AAP in 3 seats, Akali Dal in 1 seat and independent candidates in 2 seats. In Punjab's Khadoor Sahib seat, independent Amritpal Singh is leading by more than 1.5 lakh votes, who is currently lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail under NSA. In Punjab's Faridkot seat, independent Sarabjit Singh, son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassin guard Beant Singh, is leading.

In Bihar, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is performing better than expected with a lead in 14 seats, while BJP and LJP (Ram Vilas) are leading in 12 and 5 seats respectively. INDIA alliance is leading in 8 seats in Bihar, of which RJD is ahead in 4, Congress in 2 and CPI ML in 2.

In Odisha, BJP is performing well, where it is leading in 19 out of 21 seats, while the ruling Biju Janata Dal is ahead in just one seat. BJP is also ahead in Odisha assembly elections, where it is leading in 76 out of 146 seats. In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee's All India Trinamool Congress has rejected all exit polls by leading in 29 seats. While BJP is leading in 12 seats in Bengal. Congress has got lead in only one seat in Bengal.

In Andhra Pradesh, where assembly elections were held simultaneously, BJP's ally Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party has performed brilliantly. Out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra, TDP is leading in 16, while BJP is ahead in 3 and Jana Sena Party in 2. YSR Congress is leading in only four seats.

Out of 28 seats in Karnataka, BJP is leading in 17 seats and its ally JDS is leading in 2 seats while the ruling Congress in the state is leading in 9 seats.