In a historic first, the BJP-led NDA is facing off against the new opposition alliance, INDIA, led by the Congress, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a third term. The opposition is hoping for an unexpected victory akin to the 2004 elections. The vote counting, concluding an 80-day voting marathon, begins at 8 am. The results for the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh assembly elections will also be announced on Tuesday, determining the new state governments.
Exit polls predict a sweeping victory for the NDA, potentially surpassing the BJP’s 2019 tally of 303 seats, with estimates suggesting the coalition could win between 360 and 390 seats. A third term would see Modi equaling Jawaharlal Nehru’s record of three consecutive electoral victories. According to an ANI report, security agencies are already planning Modi’s swearing-in ceremony for the upcoming weekend. During the campaign, Modi indicated that his third term would involve making tougher decisions for the country.
For the first time, the INDIA bloc contested the election against the NDA, forming alliances with regional leaders. The Congress is confident of securing 295 seats for the INDIA bloc. Although the alliance lacks a prime ministerial candidate, they assert that the party with the most seats will naturally claim the position. The opposition has rejected the exit poll predictions, accusing the government of attempting to influence the counting process. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that Amit Shah contacted 150 district magistrates and collectors to intimidate them. The Election Commission dismissed these allegations as false. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged bureaucrats to resist intimidation and perform their duties impartially on counting day.
Exit poll predictions suggest that regional parties will be sidelined in this election. Parties such as AIADMK, BJD, BSP, LDF, YSRCP, BRS, and the Left (part of the INDIA alliance) are expected to see a decline in vote share. In West Bengal, the BJP is anticipated to edge out the Trinamool Congress.
In Odisha, the assembly election is expected to be a close contest between the BJP and other parties. The India Today-Axis My India exit poll predicts 62-80 seats for both the BJP and its competitors in the 147-member assembly. In Andhra Pradesh, incumbent Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is likely to lose to the NDA, an alliance of the Telugu Desam, BJP, and Jana Sena Party, which could win 98 to 120 of the 175 Assembly seats.