Modi seemed to have a clear edge over all other contenders for prime minister with voter turnout at a record high of 66.38%. PHOTO: REUTERS
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to sweep a parliamentary majority after exit polls showed it winning twice as many seats as the ruling Congress party.
At the end of a nine-phase general election, that spanned over a month, pollsters uniformly gave the BJP-led alliance well above the halfway mark of 272 seats out of 543 in the lower house of the Indian parliament - the Lok Sabha.
By Monday evening, Modi seemed to have a clear edge over all other contenders for prime minister with voter turnout at a record high of 66.38%.
The BJP-led alliance is forecast to win 270-282 seats, according to a poll conducted by research group CSDS for the CNN-IBN television network.
Surprisingly, many exit polls saw the Congress staying below the three digit mark. In the last 2009 elections, the Congress had improved its tally by securing 206 seats compared to 145 seats in 2004.
Three exit polls projected the BJP-led alliance securing between 272 and 289 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha, where two members are nominated by the government.
The India Today-CICERO exit poll and the ABP-Nielsen survey predicted 272 or more seats for the NDA.
While the India Today-CICERO gave the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 115 seats and other parties 156, the ABP-Nielsen tally for the Congress grouping was a mediocre 110 seats.
Projections by India TV-CVoter put the NDA on top with 289 seats and the UPA far behind with 101seats. Other groups were projected to secure 148 seats and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) five seats nationally.
In what appears to be a major upset - India’s oldest political grouping Congress, could end up with its lowest tally ever in the Lok Sabha.
As projections started rolling in, BJP leaders insisted that the party was on course to sweep the Indian parliament.
Many pollster results backed forecasts before voting started on 7 April that the BJP would secure a comfortable majority in the parliament and that the ruling Congress party might have to face a resounding defeat.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2014.
COMMENTS (11)
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Modi should focus on development as that is what the common man really needs. And we also must have good relations with our neighbours like Pakistan
Whoever comes to form government in India should take nation forward. It should help protect and strengthen secularism and not communal-ism. While NaMo is always looked upon as communal, it is the Gandhi family in true sense who has always divided the community to secure votes. Nehru's bloodline has always followed Britisher's divide and rule policy. The politics of wooing minority has to stop. If you want to treat everybody with equality then stop categorizing people as Hindu, Muslim, upper cast, lower cast. These labels is what causes communal-ism.
@Mirza: Thanks for your balanced views from across the border. What Indians are looking for is good governance without corruption, development and progress for all including poor and the down-trodden. Let us hope Modi fulfils his promises made to the people of India and hopefully relations with Pakistan would improve provided the latter stops the policy of exporting terror across its border.
Rigging!!! Congress should publish a white paper and call a dharna! Oh and boycott CNN-IBN!
No matter what the results, it is the victory of democracy and voters of India. Even though elections have been spread over several weeks and results a few more days but there are no signs of army or any other force hijacking the people's mandate. As a Pakistani each time India goes to the poll there are no dangers from the army or interference from powerful secret service and no party questions the election results and will of the people is accepted without any excuse or street agitation. The patriotism of all parties and armed forces is exemplary. Too bad instead of learning from their experience and success we want to do everything opposite. Kudos to our Indian brothers.
India is an established democracy and this election is a great lesson for various Pakistanis including Imran Khan. The exit polls were announced within half an hour but Imran Khan cries & cries when the Pakistani TV channels showed victory speech after 6.5 hours of polls completion on May 11, 2013. BJP had the slogan, "Ab ke bar, Modi Sarkar".. Congress and BJP have been ruling India, turn by turn, but no pseudo-intellectual can point fingers unlike Pakistan where a few establishment-backed stooges always cry foul.
well i hope modi builds up a progressive india during his tenure and do whats good for indian people not for the politicians.economic growth and collective utilization of resource should be a priority
Long live the Maoists!
I wish India well, of course.
I just hope Modi doesn't make India into another Pakistan, in terms of religious rights.
Highest every voter turnout clearly indicated that Modi and BJP will easily win over 272 seats. Higher voter turnout means that the electorates are not happy with the ruling party and want a change.
just wipe out muslims nationalist leader in pakistan.