Election Results 2024: INDIA bloc gains big in Uttar Pradesh; SP leading in 37 seats

In a surprising turn of events, the Opposition INDIA bloc has defied all expectations from exit polls and is currently leading in 227 seats. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA is not far behind, inching closer to the 300-mark with 295 seats. Uttar Pradesh has been a major upset for the BJP, as the INDIA bloc, powered by Akhilesh Yadav's SP (Samajwadi Party), is leading in 43 seats. West Bengal is another state where the BJP has faced setbacks, with the TMC consolidating its lead in at least 32 seats. Maharashtra is also witnessing significant gains for the opposition, particularly after the BJP's split with regional heavyweights Shiv Sena and NCP. The opposition holds 30 seats here, while the NDA trails with only 17 seats.

As per the current trends, the BJP's seat count has decreased to 242, which is significantly lower than their anticipated numbers and even their previous tally of 303. On the other hand, the Congress has managed to double its seat count to 94 in this election.

Uttar Pradesh

Currently, the Samajwadi Party is in a favourable position, leading in 37 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP closely follows with 32 seats, while the Congress is leading in 7 seats. Together, the Samajwadi Party and Congress have a combined tally of 42 seats in the state. This surge in the Samajwadi Party's seat count from 5 in 2019 to at least 33 in 2024 has been instrumental in the Opposition INDIA bloc's rise in Uttar Pradesh, with Akhilesh Yadav at the helm.

Both Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple have showcased the SP's strong performance in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav is leading in Kannauj with a margin of 61,351 votes against BJP's Subrat Pathak, while Dimple Yadav is leading in Mainpuri with a margin of 68,261 votes against BJP's Jaiveer Singh, as per the Election Commission. In Azamgarh, Dharmendra Yadav of the SP is leading by 45,069 votes against BJP's Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua, and in Firozabad, Akshay Yadav, the son of party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, is leading by 56,986 votes against BJP's Vishwadeep Singh.

West Bengal

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has delivered an exceptional performance in West Bengal, successfully countering the opposition from the BJP. TMC's candidate Mahua Moitra from Krishnanagar is currently leading by a margin of over 65,000 votes. Furthermore, Abhishek Banerjee has extended his lead to over 3 lakh votes in Diamond Harbour, and TMC's candidate Shatrughan Sinha is leading in Asansol by a margin of over 36,000 votes.

Karnataka

The Congress in Karnataka has experienced a significant increase in vote share, rising by 13% from 32% to 45%. On the other hand, the BJP's vote share has declined from 51% to 44%. Despite contesting in only 3 seats as opposed to 7 in 2019, the JD(S) has performed admirably, securing 8% of the vote compared to the previous 10%.

Madhya Pradesh

In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has successfully held onto its stronghold, leading in all 29 seats. However, the trends are worrisome for the Congress as their only Member of Parliament (MP) from Chhindwara, Nakul Nath, is currently falling behind in the race.

Bihar

The BJP managed to regain the support of their former ally, JDU led by Nitish Kumar. Currently, the NDA alliance holds 31 seats, while the opposition's INDIA bloc has 9 seats. Interestingly, the RJD remains the party with the highest percentage of votes in the state, securing 23% of the total votes cast.

Punjab

In Punjab's Khadoor Sahib constituency, Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher, is currently in the lead with a significant margin of over 1,00,000 votes against Kulbir Singh Zira from the Congress party.