Good morning! Welcome to Moneycontrol’s live coverage of the 2019 Lok Sabha election result. This LIVE blog will bring you the latest updates and news as votes are counted across the country.
Counting of votes is undergoing in 542 Lok Sabha constituencies of India today, on May 23.
PM Narendra Modi will take oath as the Prime Minister on May 30.
Stay tuned for the latest updates through the day.
The Election Commission of India (EC) conducted the Lok Sabha polls in seven phases between April 11 and May 19 to elect the 17th Lok Sabha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners are making a bid to retain power. This is amid efforts by several Opposition parties, including the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, to put up a united fight. 'Others' or the 'third front' is also trying to wrest power.
Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a fierce electoral battle between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) ‘Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)’.
In Andhra Pradesh, the battle is between Telugu Desam Party (TDP)’s and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
West Bengal has been an interesting battle ground in this election. The BJP has been trying to make inroads into this state where they have had minimum presence. Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) is hoping to curb BJP’s rise there.
Exit poll results, released on May 19, predicted a big victory for BJP-led NDA. In fact, many exit polls have suggested that the BJP could get a majority on its own. Multiple exit polls have predicted NDA to win around 340-350 seats.
While there are a 543 seats in the Lower House of Parliament, polling only happened in 542 constituencies after elections in Vellore, Tamil Nadu was cancelled after a cash haul. Vellore is expected to head for polling at a later date.
Besides the larger national picture, counting of votes will happen for the Legislative Assembly polls in four states -- Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim. Counting for 46 Assembly by-polls across 13 states will also happen today, May 23.
Sources have told news agency ANI that he may request Jaitley to stay in the government. Earlier today Jaitley had requested PM Modi to not give him any responsibility citing health reasons.
Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai South, will be sworn in as Union minister Thursday, a senior party leader said.
He will replace Anant Geete, the lone Sena minister in the previous Narendra Modi-led government, who lost from the Raigad Lok Sabha seat in last month's election, the leader said Wednesday.
– PTI
Amit Shah metwith Narendra Singh Tomar, Arjun Ram Meghwaltoday.Ram Lal, who is BJPSanghtan Mantri, also met with AmitShah today.
The BJP has invited them to take part in Modi's swearing-in on May 30 as a "gesture of showing respect to our martyrs", a senior leader of the saffron party said.
Click here to read more.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh will also attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony tomorrow.
Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy: I have received the invitation for the PM's swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. I will attend it. We need to have a cordial relation with the central govt if Puducherry wants to move forward. This is the first step towards it.
