LS Poll Results: How UP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra Powering INDIA Bloc, Playing Spoilsport To BJP's Dream Run

While exit polls released on Saturday had predicted a clear mandate for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, the actual results show that the Opposition parties are performing significantly better than expected.

Early trends indicate that the BJP is leading in 234 seats on its own, with the NDA leading in 289 seats overall. In contrast, the INDIA bloc is leading in 232 seats, with the Congress leading in 97 seats by the time this story went for publishing.

The INDIA bloc's strong performance is driven by key states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won 62 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. As of the latest reports, the BJP is leading in 37 seats with its allies leading in 2 seats, while the INDIA bloc is leading in 40 seats.

In Maharashtra, the BJP is leading in 11 seats, its ally Shiv Sena in 11 seats, and the NCP in 1 seat, totaling 23 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats. The INDIA bloc is leading in 29 seats (Congress: 11, Shiv Sena Thackeray faction: 10, NCP Sharad Pawar faction: 8), with an independent candidate leading in 1 seat.

In Rajasthan, the BJP is leading in 14 seats, while the Congress is leading in 8 seats, followed by CPI with 1 seat, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLTP) with 1 seat, and Bharat Adivasi Party with 1 seat. In 2019, the BJP had won 24 out of 25 seats in Rajasthan.

Overall, the BJP is trailing by over 40 seats compared to its 2019 performance in these three states, and it is also losing some seats in Haryana and West Bengal. The current trends suggest that the BJP is unlikely to secure a majority on its own.