Big losses for the BJP as Congress sees a revival in the Hindi heartland, early trends show

If the morning trends hold, the day could end with the Bharatiya Janata Party facing its biggest losses since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and the Congress seeing a revival in the crucial Hindi heartland. The Opposition party, however, faces an embarrassment both in Telangana and Mizoram.

All three Hindi-speaking states that the BJP currently holds appear to be slipping away. The Congress looks all set to sweep Chhattisgarh and has a lead over the BJP in both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

While exit polls had predicted a victory for the Congress in Rajasthan, both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were seen as close contests. But the trends indicate a decisive victory for the Congress in Chhattisgarh, where a strong anti-incumbency wave appears to be ending the three-term BJP government led by Raman Singh. The early trends show the Congress has crossed the half-way mark in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, but the leads are relatively narrow. Madhya Pradesh, in particular, is too close to call.

But the good news for the Congress comes tempered with some losses. It appears to have lost its last state in the North East with the Mizo National Front looking all set to form the government in Mizoram.

In Telangana, the K Chandrashekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi is outperforming itself – it looks all set to retain the state with an astonishing lead both in terms of voteshare and seatshare.

Here is a quick look at the available trends for all five states:

Rajasthan

Most trends showed that the Congress was headed for a majority in Rajasthan against the incumbent BJP, which has been ruling the state for 10 years. According to NDTV, the Congress was leading in 95 seats, while the BJP was leading in 80 seats at 11.40 am. As per the official figures released by the Election Commission of India at 11.40 am, the Congress was leading in 91 of 181 seats, while the BJP was leading in 64. The Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in four seats while the Bharatiya Tribal Party was leading in two seat.

Incumbent BJP Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was leading from Jhalrapatan seat. Ashok Gehlot of the Congress was leading from Sardarpura. Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria was trailing from his constituency, Udaipur.

Chhattisgarh

The Congress has already crossed the halfway mark of 46 seats, by leading in 54 seats in the 90-member House, trends on the Election Commission website showed at 11.40 am. The BJP was leading in 17 seats.

BJP’s Raman Singh, who has been the chief minister of Chhattisgarh for 15 years, was trailing from his seat Rajnandgaon. Congress candidate, Karuna Shukla, who is former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s niece, is leading from the constituency. In Marwahi, former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi was leading, according to the state election commission. BJP’s Archana Porte and Congress’s Gulaab Singh Raj were trailing in the second and third position.

Ajit Jogi’s wife Renu Jogi was leading in Kota, while his daughter-in-law Richa Jogi, who contested on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket, was leading in Akaltara.

Madhya Pradesh

Most trends showed that the Congress is leading over the BJP, which has been in power in the state for 15 years. According to trends at 11.40 am, the Congress has hit half-way mark with leading in 112 seats, while the BJP was leading in 103 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in four seats. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was, however, leading from his home turf Budhni.

Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh and Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot said he was confident that the BJP will form government in the state. Congress leader Kamal Nath also said he is confident the party will get a “full majority”.

Telangana

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi was leading comfortably over the Congress and the BJP. According to the Election Commission of India at 11.40 am, the party was leading in 90 seats, while the Congress was leading in 16 seats, and the BJP and the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen were leading in one seat each. According to the trends on NDTV, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi was leading in 87 seats, while the Congress was leading in 22 seats. The BJP was leading in only two seats.

Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was leading over Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency after the fifth round of counting. AIMIM candidate Akbaruddin Owaisi, who has extended support to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, was leading in Chandrayangutta. K Chandrasekhar Rao’s son KT Rama Rao was leading in Sircilla seat.

Mizoram

The ruling Congress was left far behind by the Opposition party Mizo National Front in Mizoram. According to the Election Commission at 11.40 am, the MNF was leading in 20 seats and the Congress in five. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was lost in South Champhai seat to TJ Lalnuntluanga of the Mizo National Front. The chief minister was also trailing in Serchhip seat.