Proving exit polls right, the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appeared set to retain power as its candidates alone led in 302 of the 541 Lok Sabha seats with its allies faring equally well across the country, stunning the opposition.
Missed all the important developments of the day? Here are the highlights:
BJP set for second term
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set for another term. This is the best performance of the saffron party in any Lok Sabha election.
BJP parliamentary board to meet tomorrow
With the BJP set to return to power, its parliamentary board is expected to meet on May 24 evening at the party headquarters where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make a speech.
Top party leaders, including BJP president Amit Shah and some senior Union ministers besides Mr. Modi, are members of the parliamentary board, its highest decision making body.
The board is likely to pass a resolution to thank voters for their support and also hailing Mr. Modi’s leadership.
The Prime Minister is also expected to address party workers.
Shocker for Rahul Gandhi in Amethi
In a major development, BJP candidate from Amethi Smriti Irani is leading in the constituency with almost 20,000 votes against Congress President Rahul Gandhi, according to official trends.
Amethi is considered a stronghold of Congress. The party has not been defeated here in the last three decades, except in 1998.
Rahul has been winning on the seat since 2004. Despite the poor performance of the party in 2014 general elections, the Congress President had defeated Irani on the seat with a margin of more than 1 lakh votes.
Mahagathbandhan helps BSP to stay in the game
BSP leader Mayawati’s decision to forge a Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) with the Samajwadi Party has paid off for the party.
The BSP failed to win any seat in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections the party's tally was reduced to 19 from 80 in the previous Assembly. This election mattered to Ms. Mayawati the most as the BSP would have lost the national party status and the elephant symbol, if the party hadn't performed well.
The BSP-SP alliance contested in 78 out of 80 seats after talks for an alliance with Congress failed. It, however, didn't field any candidate in Amethi and Rae Baraeli.
The Samajwadi Party too has increased its tally to eight from five in 2014.
BJP makes in roads in West Bengal
Apart from retaining its stronghold, the Hindi heartland, the BJP has made huge in roads in West Bengal and Telangana. The States of Tamil Nadu and Kerala continue to elude the party.
Congress increases seat share
The Congress has increased its seat share marginally, thanks to its gain from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The party is leading in 50 seats, still four seats short to be recognised at the principal Opposition party.
YSR Congress triumphs
The YSR Congress has dislodged the TDP in Andhra Pradesh, both Assembly and in the Lok Sabha. With 149 seats, Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party is leading in more than four-fifths of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly seats. In Lok Sabha too, the party is leading in 22 out of 25 seats.
Naveen Patnaik's winning streak
Naveen Patnaik is set to rule Odisha for the fifth time. The Biju Janata Dal has swept the Assembly elections with 111 out of 146 seats. The principal Opposition party in the State, BJP, has performed well in the Lok Sabha over Assembly.
Sikkim
The country's longest-serving chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling is locked in a close fight with the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha. The SKM is poised to win the lone Sikkim parliamentary seat.
BJP again in Arunachal
In Arunachal Pradesh, it is yet another term for the BJP, where it is leading in 23 out of 33 seats. Both the parliamentary seats have been retained by BJP as well.
AIADMK safe in TN
Though the DMK alliance swept the parliamentary elections in Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK will continue to rule the State. Out of 22 Assembly seats where by-elections were conducted, the AIADMK is leading in nine, making the ruling party regain its majority in the 234-seated Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Gains for BSP
The Grand Alliance in Uttar Pradesh has worked for the Bahujan Samaj Party. The Mayawati-led party is leading in 11 seats, which will help BSP retain its position as a national party as well as the Elephant symbol. The Samajwadi Party is expected to retain its tally of five.
However, the Grand Alliance experiment failed in Bihar. Out of 40 seats, the NDA is leading in 39. The lone seat for Congress is the only face saver as alliance leader RJD failed to win a seat.
Setback for Left parties
For the first time, the Left parties have been reduced to single digit in Lok Sabha. The Front is leading in six seats, all of them from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Poor show by AIADMK, Trinamool
The AIADMK and Trinamool Congress, which were the third and fourth largest parties in the 16th Lok Sabha registered a poor show. While the AIADMK had a mighty fall from 37 to one, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress managed to score only 23.
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