The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a commanding lead in Uttar Pradesh, leading in 269 seats—well past the majority mark of 202—with the Samajwadi Party leading in 128 seats in the first five hours since the counting of votes started. The polls for 403 seats, spread over 75 districts, were held in seven phases between February 10 and March 7. More than 3.75 lakh voters exercised their franchise using ballot papers. The state's Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said that 84 counting centres had been set up across Uttar Pradesh.
As of 5 pm, the BJP was leading in 48 seats in Uttarakhand, with the Congress leading in 18 seats. The BSP was leading in two seats.
Click here to follow live updates of the counting day
In Punjab, the AAP was leading in 92 seats while the Congress was leading in 18 seats. The Akali Dal and BJP alliances were leading in four and two seats, respectively. The state recorded a voter turnout of 71.95 per cent, the lowest percentage compared to the voting percentage in three previous assembly polls.
The coastal state of Goa seems to be favouring the BJP, with the saffron party leading in 20 seats and Congress in 12. The AAP is leading in three seats. Nearly 79 per cent of voters cast ballots in the February 14 polls in Goa.
In Manipur, the BJP and Congress were neck and neck in the opening hour, following which the saffron party surged ahead, leading in 30 seats compared to Congress' six seats. This year's voting percentage was higher than the 2017 and 2012 Assembly elections when 86.4 per cent and 79.5 per cent electorate had exercised their franchise respectively.
(with agency inputs)
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