NEW DELHI: Early indications indicated that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading with a sizable advantage in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home territory as the counting of votes for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections began. The BJP and Congress are engaged in a tight race in the Himachal Pradesh election, increasing the likelihood that the outcome may be decided by a single vote.
Elections for the Gujarat Assembly-
Early indications indicate that the BJP is in the lead with 156 seats after nearly an hour of voting, considerably exceeding the necessary majority to establish a government in Gujarat. With 17 seats, Congress is well behind the majority party and far behind the opposition. With a massive campaign effort in the state, the AAP is only ahead by six seats.
At 8 am on Thursday, tight security kicked off the counting of the votes cast in the elections.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a newcomer to the political scene in the state, ran candidates in 181 of the 182 seats, while the ruling BJP ran candidates in all 182. 179 seats were up for grabs, with the Congress being the main opposition party.
Elections for the Himachal Assembly-
Both the BJP and the Congress are running for governor in Himachal Pradesh, although none has a majority. With 35 seats in the lead, the opposition Congress has attained the necessary majority. The BJP, which is currently in power and is hoping to keep it, has a lead that is currently very close to 29.
In the past nearly forty years, Himachal Pradesh has not elected an incumbent government back to the office.
The majority of exit polls indicated that the BJP, which is currently in power, will have an advantage in the mountainous state. The voters will decide on the crucial concerns of price rise, unemployment, the outdated pension system, and other difficulties, according to Congress, which expressed confidence that the party will win the assembly elections.
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