The D-Day Is Here: Lok Sabha, Andhra-Odisha Elections Results Today
New Delhi: Finally, the counting for the general elections 2024 began. According to the early leads, NDA is leading with 225 seats while Opposition INDIA alliance is trailing with 145 seats. Others are leading in 10 seats.
On Tuesday, the fate of 8,360 candidates, including 797 women, contesting for 542 seats in the Lok Sabha elections will be decided. Around 64.2 crore votes cast between April 19 and June 1 are set to be counted. This election could see Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP equalling a record held by Jawaharlal Nehru or witnessing a significant challenge from the Opposition INDIA bloc. Along with the Lok Sabha election results, the Assembly elections for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will also be announced today.
By evening, the nation should have a clearer picture of its next government. BJP aims to secure 370 seats, with the NDA targeting over 400, while the Congress hopes to recover from a decade of electoral setbacks. Exit polls have largely predicted a BJP victory for a third consecutive term, though the INDIA bloc remains hopeful of surpassing 295 seats, calling the exit polls “government sponsored.”
The vote counting process begins at 8 AM nationwide under tight security, particularly in states like West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, where violence was reported during the polls. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced the involvement of 70-80 lakh personnel in the counting process, with paramilitary forces deployed to prevent post-result violence in several states, including a 15-day deployment in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, and two days in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Both BJP and Congress have prepared for counting day with top leaders holding strategy sessions. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh dismissed reports of potential protests against adverse results, while Congress leader Sonia Gandhi expressed optimism that the results will differ from the exit polls.
At the BJP and Congress headquarters in Delhi, preparations are in full swing. Workers are setting up large canopies and making arrangements for post-result events, anticipating a significant day.
As Modi seeks a record-equalling third term, this election concludes an extensive 80-day polling process. While experts favour the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the I.N.D.I.A. bloc aims for a surprising outcome. Exit polls predict a strong showing for the NDA, edging closer to Modi’s goal of 400 seats, while the I.N.D.I.A. bloc struggles to secure 180.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised the exit polls as biased, with opposition leaders voicing concerns over electronic voting machines and appealing to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to follow strict counting protocols. The BJP, countering these allegations, has called for maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has challenged the opposition to provide evidence of polling misconduct. The results will be crucial for Congress, which has seen a decline since 2014, with leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi confident of a significant win.
Victory for Modi would match Nehru’s record of three consecutive wins and impact regional parties like the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and YSR Congress in West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Exit polls suggest BJP could become a dominant force in these regions.
The election results will also determine the political future of regional leaders such as Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, and various Union ministers and former chief ministers. The performance of key figures like Modi, contesting from Varanasi, and senior cabinet members like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, will be closely scrutinised.
