The BJP won 57 seats in the 70-member Assembly while the Congress could manage only 11 seats. Chief Minister Harish Rawat was defeated in both seats - Haridwar Rural and Kichha - from where he contested.
The updates:
4.40 p.m.
Prime Minister took to Twitter to congratulate on the sweeping majority in the State. He said, "Victory in Uttarakhand is special; I assure people of the state that BJP will serve them with dedication."
4.00 p.m.
Congress leader Harish Rawat addresses the media after the debacle in the polls. "I have submitted my resignation to the Governor [K.K. Paul]. The Governor has asked me to be the caretaker Chief Minister till the new government takes charge," Mr. Rawat said.
"I accept the result. May be there was some error in my leadership that resulted in the debacle," he added.
3.58 p.m.
While the BJP is leading in 57 of the total 70 seats, its Uttarakhand President Ajay Bhatt has lost the Ranikhet seat to the Congress by 4,981 votes.
3.45 p.m.
Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee President Kishore Upadhyay loses the Sahaspur seat to the BJP by 18,863 votes.
3.40 p.m.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat resigns after being defeated from both the constituencies he was running from.
2.47 p.m.
BJP is slowly grabbing more seats as it continues to lead in majority of the seats.
One of the major set back for Congress in the State has been CM Harish Rawat's defeat in both the constituencies he was running from.
2.32 p.m.
BJP wins ten seats, continues to lead in majority of the 70 seats. Congress wins three.
2.20 p.m.
CM Harish Rawat also loses from Kichcha. BJP’s Rajesh Shukla wins from the seat by 2,154 votes.
2.13 p.m.
BJP wins eight seats, continues to lead in majority of the 70 seats. Congress wins three.
2.03 p.m.
BJP wins seven seats continues to lead in 49. Congress , on the other hand, gets three seats, leads in nine.
1.50 p.m.
According to latest report, BJP wins four seats and Congress wins two. BJP is leading in 53 of 70 seats in the State, whereas Congress leads in nine.
1.44 p.m.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat is defeated in both seats - Haridwar Rural and Kichha - from where he contested.
In Haridwar Rural Mr. Rawat has lost to the BJP candidate Swami Yatishwaranand by 12,278 votes.
In the Kichha seat BJP candidate Rajesh Shukla is ahead of Mr Rawat by 1,752 votes.
While the result for the Haridwar Rural seat has been declared, the counting is underway for the Kichha seat.
1.10 p.m.
Congress wins one seat, but BJP continues to lead 57 of 70 seats in Uttarakhand. Congress leads in nine and Independent in three.
12.48 p.m.
BJP leads in 56 seats whereas Congress in ten.
12.30 p.m.
Flower sellers Charan Deep and Feroz wait at the Ghodawala chowk in Dehradun to sell garlands at Rs. 20 per piece to the BJP workers who would purchase them for their winning candidates.
"It looks evident now that the BJP would win, so we are waiting for the party workers to purchase the garlands from us," Feroz, who has been waiting at the chowk since 8 a.m. said. - Kavita Upadhyay reports
12.02 p.m.
With the Congress showing lead over only 14 of the 70 Uttarakhand Assembly seats, a palpable lull prevails at the party office in Dehradun, Uttarakhand
With the Congress showing lead over only 14 of the 70 Uttarakhand Assembly seats, a palpable lull prevails at the party office in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
11.20 a.m.
BJP leads in 53 seats, Congress in 14 and Independent in three.
11.15 a.m.
BJP workers celebrate Holi at the office in Dehradun. The workers celebrate with colours as the party shows lead on majority seats.
10.45 a.m.
At the BJP office, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, party workers celebrate as the BJP shows lead on 51 seats of the total 70. Congress leading in 13 seats where as in three seats Independent leads.
10.35 a.m.
Meanwhile, Faheem, one of the 'dhol' (drum) players who is seen waiting at a chowk in Dehradun, says, "We are waiting for the candidates from the winning party to pass through so that we can play for them."
While they have not been hired by any political party, the team of 'dhol' players expects money from the candidates they would play for, reports The Hindu's c orrespondent Kavita Upadhyay .
"We will be happy with whatever they [the winning candidates] pay us," Faheem says.
10.30 a.m.
According to the latest updates, BJP leads in 50 seats, Congress in ten and Independent in four.
9.55 a.m.
BJP leading with large margin in 39 seats. Congress on the other hand is leading in just seven and Independent in two.
The Congress has sought to make the polls a referendum on the performance and image of Harish Rawat who had lost his post temporarily last year with the imposition of President’s Rule, before a Supreme Court verdict returned him to power.
9.48 a.m.
Harish Rawat trailing in Hardwar Rural constituency of Uttarakhand by 5770 votes so far.
9.45 a.m.
According to official trends, BJP leading 26, Congress in 5 and Independent in 2 seats.
9.40 a.m.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who is also the chief ministerial candidate for the Congress, is behind by 1,750 votes in Kichha seat. In the Haridwar Rural seat too Mr. Rawat is behind by 3,000 votes. - EC
9.30 a.m.
According to earlier Election Commission's trends, BSP leading one seat, BJP in 13, where as Congress in three and Independent in one seat.
9.25 a.m.
Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee President Kishore Upadhyay at the counting centre in Raipur, Dehradun
Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee President Kishore Upadhyay at the counting centre in Raipur, Dehradun. Photo: Kavita Upadhyay
9.15 a.m.
Congress leading in 14, BJP in 13 and Others in two seats, says ANI.
9.02 a.m.
Congress and BJP both leading in 10 seats each. - ANI
The electoral fight here has always been between the Congress and the BJP, but this time around the bipolar contest has been muddied with rebels from both parties expected to act as spoilers.
9.00 a.m.
Neck and neck fight continues. Congress now leading in three seats, BJP in two , reports ANI.
8.50 a.m.
While Congress leads in two, BJP leads in three, according to AIR .
8.45 a.m.
Where the clash is expected to be between Congress and BJP, both the parties are reported to be leading on one each. ANI
8.25 a.m.
Intermittent rain results in sharp decline of temperatures, reports AIR.
8 a.m.
Counting begins in Uttarakhand. Fifteen counting centres have been established in Uttarakhand , where the strength of the Assembly is 70. 864 counting tables have been put up where counting for 10,854 polling stations will be carried out.
7.25 a.m.
Earlier on Friday, Chief Minister Harish Rawat, the Congress’ chief ministerial candidate, appeared relaxed and confident as he received ‘best wishes’ from well-wishers for Saturday’s results at his office.
7.00 a.m.
Extensive arrangements have been made for the counting of the Uttarakhand state polls where 637 candidates from 70 seats await the results with bated breath.
The Election Commission has issued strict guidelines on security arrangements for counting of votes and has prohibited mobile phones inside the counting halls.
In addition to general observers, a micro-observer will be deputed for each and every counting table. A three-tier security arrangement has been made in and around the counting centres.
With a number of Congress turncoats trying their luck as BJP candidates this time it will be interesting to watch what happens in constituencies like Narendranagar, Bajpur, Roorkee, Khanpur, Kedarnath, Kotdwar, Sitarganj and Nainital from where erstwhile Congress rebels or their wards have been fielded by the saffron party.
