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The dynamic duo of PM Narendra Modi and BJP party chief Amit Shah led the party to victory in the crucial states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as the election results were tallied today.
Whereas in the state of Punjab, Capt. Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sindhu led Congress to victory.
For Goa and Manipur none of the parties could manage to reach the halfway mark.
5:40 pm Speaking to Network18, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that farm loans will surely be waived if it was announced.
5:29 pm Prime Minister Narendra Modi replies to Rahul Gandhi's tweet
Thank you. Long live democracy! https://t.co/hJoGsO5lGA— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 11, 2017
5:18 pm
'People Might Have Not Liked Express Way; They Might Have Voted For Bullet Train' Says @yadavakhilesh #ResultsWithNews18 #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/9zmMaW2LQd— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) March 11, 2017
5:13 pm Alliance with Congress was not a bad decision. Have benefited from it: Akhilesh Yadav
5:10 pm Yadav says, if concern has been raised (by Mayawati) on tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the government should probe it. Will look in to the matter on my own level as well.
5:08 pm Respect and accept the decision of the people: Akhilesh Yadav
5:05 pm Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav addresses a press conference. Says alliance with Congress will continue in the future as well.
5:01 pm Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulates BJP on the victory.
I congratulate Shri. Narendra Modi and the BJP on their victory in Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) March 11, 2017
4:55 pm Mahindra Group’s Executive Chairman Anand Mahindra says the BJP's resounding victory points to a long-term leadership. Investors like The markets may well applaud on Tuesday, he says. Here's his tweet
Investors value predictability & stability.BJP's resounding victory in UP points to long term leadership. Markets may well applaud next week— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 11, 2017
4:50 pm Dissent has begun in the Congress ranks. Former Delhi Chief Minister's son and Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit hits out at Rahul Gandhi. "Everyone including Rahul Gandhi should take the blame," he said. There is a need for surgical intervention in the Congress, he added.
4:45 pm We've spent the past few hours explaining the UP results to you, but this picture pretty much sums things up:
4:40 pm: Samajwadi Party's Shivpal Singh Yadav has won the Jaswantnagar constituency with over 1.25 lakh votes. BJP candidate Manish Yadav Patre way behind at just over 74,000 votes.
4:30 pm LATEST UPDATES FROM GOA | The Congress’ hopes of forming a government have been raised. It has won 14 seats so far, while BJP tally stands at 12. Of the 40-seat assembly, 39 seats have been accounted for.
Meanwhile, the Congress is in touch with the NCP, Maharashtra Gomantak and independents. The NCP has one 1 seat; Maharashtrawadi Gomantak and Independents won 3 seats each.
Goa Forward Party chief Vijay Sardesai says: “Can't take Congress for granted, we'll support them. Need to see how our party can grow. We will take stock of final numbers this evening.”
4:20 pm: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clinching majority in UP and Uttarakhand, experts foresee bullish times ahead for the market. On a panel discussion on CNBC-TV18, experts predicted a gap-up opening for the markets on Tuesday and opined that this was a beginning of a bull run. Here's the report:
Market to cheer UP verdict; keep an eye on earnings: Experts
4:15 pm: After BJP’s thumping victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, political parties will look for scapegoats. There will likely be voices and concerns raised on how Samajwadi Party, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party went about campaigning for the state election.
READ MORE — UP Debacle: Akhilesh & Rahul have some tough questions to answer
4:10 pm Wishing citizens a happy Holi, Amit Shah signs off from the press conference.
4:05 pm Amit Shah put to rest doubts on alliances. All parties that came with us will be part of the government, he says.
4:00 pm The BJP will strive to improve the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, says Amit Shah. This is the start of politics of performance, he adds.
3:53 pm Meanwhile, in Goa, potential kingmaker Vijay Sardesai of Goa Forward Party says the Congress can't take its support for granted in forming the government. Sardesai's party is leading in three seats.
3:53 pm On Mayawati's allegations that the UP elections were rigged, Shah says: "She has a lot on her mind."
3:50 pm The next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh will not be chosen based on caste, but only on performance, says Shah. He says it is heartening that the poor have put their faith in Narendra Modi.
3:47 pm Shah says the BJP leadership will meet tomorrow evening and discuss the next course of action in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. Might name four chief ministerial candidates.
He refuses to be drawn into the Hindu-Muslim issue, saying a voter is a voter.
3:43 pm Shah says the country will only achieve double-digit growth when Uttar Pradesh achieves the same and promises the BJP will work towards making this a reality.
3:41 pm Shah says Narendra Modi is the most popular leader since independence and that personal attacks against him had backfired. He says the BJP only believes in the politics of performance and development.
3.39 pm Amit Shah calls it a victory of the people and says the results prove that people have accepted the central government's policies including demonetisation.
3.37 pm A smiling Amit Shah starts off by extending his wishes for Holi. He says the party is on its way to forming the government in four states - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur - and calls it a historic mandate.
The result is clear in two of those states, but Manipur and Goa remains close.
3.35 pm BJP President Amit Shah is now seated and ready to address the media at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
3:30 pm The BJP and Congress are still neck and neck in Goa, but the saffron party has suffered some serious body blows. While Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar lost his seat, his cabinet colleagues Mahadev Naik, Dilip Parulekar, Dayanand Mandrekar, Rajendra Arlekar, and Avertan Furtardo also tasted defeat.
3:25 pm We told you a short while ago about the stalemate in Manipur. Now, CNN-News18's Subhajit Sengupta says the BJP will attempt to form a coalition government in the North East state.
BJP all set to form alliance govt in Manipur as well. 22+ 4 ( NPP)+3(NPF)+1(LJP)= 30. 5 more seats left to be declared. #resultswithnews18 pic.twitter.com/aeHPeRoW7s— Subhajit Sengupta (@SubhajitSG) March 11, 2017
3:20 pm Here's the full story on Mayawati's allegations that the UP elections were rigged:
Mayawati seeks a re-election, says EVMs tampered with
3:15 pm Manipur and Goa continue to keep us in suspense. Not much has changed in the past hour. It's still anybody's game.
3:10 pm In Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh can enjoy the moment, but plenty of speed bumps lie ahead. Abhijit Chatterjee takes stock:
After grand swansong win, challenges abound for Amarinder
3.05 pm More on what these results mean for Rahul Gandhi. It's safe to say that the party's trust in his leadership will further erode.
He will be seen as a leader who failed to identify the right alliance and made the party politically irrelevant in its home state, the place where Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi contested elections.
Now, questions may finally be raised over whether the Congress should look outside the Nehru-Gandhi family leadership. That said, sister Priyanka Gandhi may also assume a larger role.
3:00 pm Throwback to five years ago, when a sombre Rahul Gandhi and sister Priyanka walked arm-in-arm after speaking to the media following the declaration of the Uttar Pradesh election results. Rahul had campaigned tirelessly and was the party's face in UP, but returned with only 28 seats.
2:55 pm Pictures from Punjab of celebrations in the Amarinder Singh camp. Double joy today as it's also his 75th birthday.
#CongWinsPunjab: @narendramodi calls up @capt_amarinder to congratulate on poll victory, promises full support for #Punjab development pic.twitter.com/J9quDtxwLC— Punjab Congress (@punjabpcc) March 11, 2017
2:50 pm BJP President Amit Shah has arrived at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi and receives a hero's welcome. He is expected to address the media at 3.30pm.
#ResultsWithNews18 -- @AmitShah reaches BJP headquarters#ElectionResults LIVE: https://t.co/yDzZzlRICC
(Images: ANI) pic.twitter.com/6ExnOg4xSw— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 11, 2017
In many ways, this is Amit Shah's victory. After sweeping Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 Lok sabha elections, he has ensured an encore in the 2017 Assembly polls.
2:45 pm Ayodhya has special significance for the BJP. The party has wrested the seat from the ruling SP. BJP candidate Ved Prakash Gupta defeated sitting Samajwadi Party MLA Tej Narayan Pandey.
2:40 pm Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu walked the talk in these elections. He switched from the BJP to the Congress and ended up on the winning side.
2:38 pm The dead heat continues in Goa and Manipur. The latest numbers have the BJP and Congress with the same number of seats in both states.
2:35 pm We've spent the past few hours explaining the UP results to you, but this GIF pretty much sums things up:
#UPElection2017 in one #gif pic.twitter.com/wfgn0nZb2G— moneycontrol (@moneycontrolcom) March 11, 2017
2:32 pm That mugshot shows Harish Rawat smiling, but he's got no reason to be cheerful. It's been a decimation in Uttarakhand, both personally and for the party.
2:25 pm First reactions coming in from Prime Minister Narendra Modi! And it's a surprise. Instead of addressing his own supporters after the BJP's strong show in UP, he's chosen instead to congratulate Congress rival Amarinder Singh.
Spoke to @capt_amarinder & congratulated him on the win in Punjab. Also wished him a happy birthday & prayed for his long & healthy life.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 11, 2017
2:20 pm Is Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh a possible chief ministerial candidate? He is a trusted hand but the central government may be averse to letting him leave Delhi.
2:15 pm Let's take a look at where we stand as of 2pm. Still awaiting a clear picture from Manipur and Goa.
2:05 pm Here's the update from Lambi, where Parkash Singh Badal has won with 66,375 votes. Amarinder Singh ended with a 43,605-vote tally.
2:00 pm Birthday boy Captain Amarinder Singh has won in Patiala constituency. Here's how he fared.
1:55 pm A quick update on the press conferences this evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah may address party workers at 4:30 pm. Outgoing UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will address the media at 5 pm.
उत्तराखंड में भाजपा की प्रचंड बहुमत पर सभी कर्मठ कार्यकर्ताओं, प्रधानमंत्री श्री @NarendraModi एवं श्री @AjayBhatt_BJP को हार्दिक बधाई । pic.twitter.com/F91pTqhY2L— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 11, 2017
1:53 pm In UP, the SP-Congress tally is now looking even worse. The alliance is currently leading only in 57 seats.
Akhilesh Yadav unveils party manifesto ahead of Assembly election, in Lucknow on Sunday. PTI Photo by Nand Kumar(PTI1_22_2017_000057B)" width="378" height="214" />
1:50 pm Moving over to Manipur now. Leads are available for 45 out of the 60 seats. The BJP, which did not win a single seat last time round, is leading in 19 seats while the ruling Congress is ahead in 17 constituencies.
1:45 pm Mayawati alleges that the voting machines were tampered with. "Any button you pressed, the vote went to the BJP," claims the BSP chief.
She says the election results are shocking and hard to swallow. The BSP is leading in just 20 of the 403 seats.
1:40pm Expelled Samajwadi Party Amar Singh leader continues his tirade against Akhilesh Yadav:
#ResultsWithNews18 "The Chief Minister of UP was very arrogant. He is grounded very badly" - Amar Singh, former @SamajwadiParty leader pic.twitter.com/d6ycWaL3pE— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 11, 2017
1:35pm For India's most populous state, spinning new jobs is critical for its long-term prospects. Moneycontrol's Gaurav Choudhury takes a look at the economic realities in Uttar Pradesh.
COMMENT: Politics out of the way, it is over to economics for UP
1:32 pm This is big. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has lost in both the constituencies from which he contested. Insult to injury for the former Union minister.
1:30 pm Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has spoken out for the first time since the results started coming in. This was supposed to be a big day for the Aam Aadmi Party's national ambitions, but hasn't turned out too well. Back to the drawing table.
जनता का फ़ैसला सर माथे पे। सभी कार्यकर्ताओं ने बहुत मेहनत की। संघर्ष जारी रहेगा।— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 11, 2017
1:20 pm Still no clear winner in Goa but sources say the state Congress unit will meet at 6pm and stake a claim to form the government with the help of the Nationalist Congress Party and smaller parties.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar earlier lost in his constituency.
1:10 pm BJP leader Ritu Bahuguna Joshi, a long-time Congress leader before going saffron recently, has ruled herself out of the race for UP chief minister.
1:05 pm The BJP party is in full swing in Uttar Pradesh. And why not? This is a resounding victory for Narendra Modi and his merry men.
#ResultsWithNews18 BJP workers celebrate their victory in #UttarPradesh.#ElectionResults LIVE: https://t.co/yDzZzlRICC pic.twitter.com/hQzAUuuy1C— News18 (@CNNnews18) March 11, 2017
1:00 pm So as things stand, we have big wins for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Punjab has officially gone to the Congress. We're still waiting on the results from Manipur and Goa. The BJP and Congress are even stevens in both states with half the trends available.
12:50 pm Senior Congress Leader Kapil Sibal tells CNN-News18:
"It is worrying that the BJP managed to succeed with saffronisation of UP. It is their polarization ideology that has worked. They have nothing to offer to people in terms of development.''
12:40 pm Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah may address party workers at 4.30 pm.
12:35 pm If you're just joining us and wondering who's the star of the show, then look no further:.
12:30 pm Captain Amarinder Singh, who will be the next Chief Minister of Punjab, thanks the people for the party’s victory. It is Amarinder Singh’s 75th birthday today.
The Congress Legislature Party will take a call on the swearing-in date on Sunday.
12:20 pm SP leader Shivpal Yadav, the brother of Mulayam Singh Yadav, takes a veiled dig at his nephew and outgoing chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
"This defeat has happened due to ego issues of few people. Mulayam Singh and I were insulted," he said.
12:16 pm Union minister Smriti Irani calls Priyanka Gandhi a paper tiger, says the UP election results show the people's massive confidence in Narendra Modi.
12:15 pm Senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy says it's finally time to align the UP government with the central government on the road to development. He thinks the UP result is an absolute endorsement of the government's policies.
On GST, he says there will be teething problems, but the country's biggest tax reform will roll out on schedule on July 1.
12:10 pm What do the Assembly election results mean for you, the investor? Moneycontrol's Madhuchanda Dey weighs in with some words of wisdom:
Assembly Elections 2017: Now pick strong banks, affordable housing, GST gainers
12:05 pm Former cricketer Navjyot Singh Sidhu, a man known for his colourful words, criticises the Congress' opponents. Sidhu switched loyalties from the BJP to the Congress ahead of these elections.
"Two Badals with egos have been defeated," said Sidhu. "This is a new year's gift for Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi."
Word on the street is that Sidhu has been offered the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
12:03 pm Often a kingmaker, Amar Singh says Akhilesh Yadav will soon be going to jail. He doesn't explain why though.
12.02 pm Forget 2019, focus on 2024, says former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah.
At this rate we might as well forget 2019 & start planning/hoping for 2024.
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) March 11, 2017
12:00 pm Goa is known to be laidback, and the election results are proving that notion right. Just 40 seats in the state but leads are available for only half of the seats.
11:55 am Uttar Pradesh has chosen capability over dynastic politics, says Jitender Singh, MoS in the Prime Minister's Office.
11:50 am In Thoubal, Manipur, Irom Sharmila has won 51 votes. The Iron Lady had made her political debut in these elections.
11: 45 am Captain Amarinder Singh is expected to address a press conference shortly.
11:40 am BREAKING | Samajwadi Party had conceded defeat in Uttar Pradesh
11:35 am Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has lost in Mandrem. Big setback.
11:30 am BJP leader Ram Madhav says major credit to BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.BJP was able to put the Congress and Ibobi Singh on the defensive in Manipur.
11:25 am In Punjab, birthday boy Captain Amarinder Singh is seen leading in Patiala stronghold. His comrade Manpreet Singh Badal is ahead in Bathinda Urban constituency. Overall, estimates now show Congress is set to wrest power from the SAD-BJP combine in the state.
READ: Punjab Elections 2017: Congress looks set to take charge in Punjab
11:20 am In the key Naugawan Sadat, Kairana and Meerut constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP candidates are leading.
Here's UP election from Lalu Prasad Yadav's point of view
ठीक बा। देखा ना, बीजेपी ने तुम्हें यूपी में नहीं घुसने दिया तो फायदा हुआ। https://t.co/KBzqOjGdzM
— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) March 11, 2017
11:15 am In an interview to Network18 in January, Amit Shah had said he was confident of winning a 2/3rd majority in Uttar Pradesh.
11:10 am Not good news for the Aam Aadmi Party in Goa, where its chief ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes is in third place in Cuncolim.
11:05 am It's a triple century for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh! Exit polls predicted a BJP win but no one could have predicted this dominance:
11:00 amSo what are the key takeaways so far? In short, the BJP is in a very comfortably position having swept the country's most populous state just two years ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress is still struggling for pan-India relevance despite its win in Punjab and the Aam Aadmi Party's ambition of becoming a national party is still distant dream.
10:56 amIt's still slow going in Manipur and Goa. Leads available for only half the seats in each state and the Congress and BJP are neck-and-neck in both.
10:55 amHere's the story of what happened in Uttarakhand: Do read:
Uttarakhand elections 2017: Modi wave sweeps across state
10:50 amThe BJP is in focus, but it's important to look at what has happened to the Bahujan Samaj Party. After not winning a single seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, party chief Mayawati went all out to woo the minorities this time around. But the party has won only 20 seats. Five years ago, it was in power in Uttar Pradesh.
10:47 amUttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will likely meet the state Governor at 2pm to submit his resignation.
10:45 amConsolidation for the Congress in Punjab. A win here has kept the grand old party relevant and has somewhat proved a face-saver for party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi.
10:42 amIt just gets better and better for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. The party is set to form the government in the state with a massive 3/4th majority. Almost 300 seats for the saffron party now.
10:40 amKeshav Maurya, among the favourites to take the chief minister's chair, brushes away suggestions that he will assume the post and says the party leadership will take a call. Maurya is the head of the BJP's state unit.
10:35 amWatch our home page too for stories and analysis on the election results. For now, take a look at Sandeep Sinha's piece on why the BJP has claimed Uttar Pradesh:
Assembly Elections 2017: 5 reasons why BJP swept Uttar Pradesh
10:30 amBJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad says the UP election results show that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "messiah of the poor". This is the first official reaction from the government.
10:25 amCongress stands by its decision to join hands with the Samajwadi Party in UP. No word from Akhilesh Yadav yet.
10:22 amBad news for Irom Sharmila. Reports coming in suggest that she has lost to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh from Thoubal constituency in Manipur. Sharmila is making her electoral debut after ending her 16-year fast last August.
10:20 am Fireband UP BJP leader Yogi Adityanath, possibly a CM candidate, has spoken:
"People of UP have shunned SP-Congress. They want development without any discrimination and that's why they have voted for BJP."
10:15 amLet's look at where we currently stand in all the five states:
10:13 am After UP and Uttarakhand, the Modi tsunami could well continue in the Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections set to take place over the next year or so.
10:10 am Here's the complete picture in UP as of now:
10:06Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi says the UP result is not a verdict on demonetisation. A bad decision will remain one, he says.
10:05In UP, the attention will soon turn to who will become the next chief minister. The picture will get clearer in the coming days but here's an early take on who could sit in the chief minister's chair:
BJP CM nominee list includes Keshav Maurya & Yogi Adityanath
10:00Two hours since counting began and we have reached a landmark moment in Indian politics. The BJP, already in power at the Centre, now has control of the country's most populous state. It's a result which will influence everything from Rajya Sabha elections to picking the next President of India.
The SP has started accepting the inevitable:
We will accept the people's mandate, says SP leader Shivpal Yadavhttps://t.co/VGRmUe52eE pic.twitter.com/6N1jJOoiNh— ABP News (@abpnewstv) March 11, 2017
09:55Akhilesh Yadav on Friday spoke about secular forces coming together to defeat the BJP. As things stand, the combine would not have half as many seats as the BJP.
09:50Some bad news for the BJP in Goa. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar is reportedly trailing in his constituency of Mandrem.
09:48The BJP has now crossed the 275-mark in Uttar Pradesh. The SP-Congress is far behind in second place with 78 seats.
Meanwhile, the celebrations are well and truly underway:
BJP leading in Uttar Pradesh: Party workers celebrate in Lucknow #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/SmmoBRNKSV— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 11, 2017
09:44 am CNN-News18 calls the election for the Congress in Punjab! Birthday boy Amarinder Singh's Congress has crossed the halfway mark with 59 seats. The Akali Dal-BJP and AAP are far behind and have yet to cross the 30 seats each.
09:41 amTo add insult to injury in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Harish Rawat is trailing in both seats where he is contesting - Kiccha and Haridwar rural.
09:37 amThings have been happening thick and fast, so let's pause to take stock. Official confirmation awaited for a BJP win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The Congress leads in Punjab. Leads from Goa and Manipur are slowly coming in and it's too early to establish a clear winner.
09:35 amThe BJP isn't done in Uttar Pradesh. It's now up to 242 seats. Remember that it won just 48 seats five years ago.
09:32 amThe Congress is establishing a clear lead in Punjab now with 46 leads. The Congress and the Akali Dal-BJP share 23 leads apiece. Looks like the Congress will cross the halfway mark of 59.
09:27 am CNN-News 18 calls the election for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh! The party will form the next goverment in the state.
Here are the numbers:
BJP: 229
SP-Cong:66
BSP:28
Others:11
09:22 amAs far as leads go, the BJP has now crossed the halfway mark in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, SP's Shivpal Yadav is trailing in his constituency.
09:20 amCNN-News18 calls the election for the BJP in Uttarakhand! Four more states to go!
09:15 amTrends indicate that the BJP has crossed the halfway mark of 35 in Uttarakhand, with the ruling Congress just hitting double digits.
09:10 amFrom the looks of it, there is no stopping the BJP's surge in UP. Leads in 160 of the 236 seats for which trends are available so far. Just 42 short of the halfway mark.
Some confident talk coming in from a potential chief ministerial candidate:
We are winning with 2/3rd majority, SP and BSP will be wiped out:Keshav Prasad Maurya,UP BJP Chief #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/sbxMLHgNLN
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 11, 2017
09:05 amIn Punjab, the Congress has an early lead with AAP close on its heels. A win here is crucial for the Congress as its hopes in Uttar Pradesh seem to be quickly fading.
Here's what the picture was at 9 am:
09:03 am:BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra has a look at the UP results. Says he can smile but it's not yet time to beam. Call it cautious optimism, as market experts love to say.
09:00 amAn hour of counting completed and the BJP has crossed the 100-mark in Uttar Pradesh. The halfway mark is 202 and the party is well on its way there. Here's how things stand as of 9 am:
BJP: 126
SP-Cong: 29
BSP: 22Others: 7
Meanwhile, Congress' Captain Amarinder Singh in now trailing in his constituency of Lambi in Punjab. Congress' Navjot Singh Sidhu is leading in Amritsar East.
08:57 amMore news from UP. And the BJP is rampant, leading in 90 of the 132 seats for which trends are available so far. It looks like a saffron sweep is on the cards with the SP-Cong combine far behind on 17 seats and the BSP on 15 seats.
BJP President Amit Shah must be smiling.
08:55 am In Manipur, the BJP did not win a single seat in the previous Assembly elections. Now, it's leading in nine seats. Not good news for the Congress.
08:50 amLess than an hour into counting and it's quite clear who's the leader in UP. We have trends for 88 seats, with the BJP leading in 63 and the SP-Cong alliance ahead in 15. It's a long way to go to 403 seats but the BJP is clearly in pole position.
It's slow going in other states but Irom Sharmila is trailing in Manipur. In Punjab, two chief ministerial candidates are leading - the Akali Dal's Parkash Singh Badal and the Congress' Captain Amarinder Singh.
08:45 am:Some more leads coming in from Uttarakhand,
08:40 amNumbers coming in thick and fast now. Trends for 55 seats available in UP and the BJP leads in 31. Remember, the party won just 48 of the 403 seats in the 2012 Assembly polls. Let's look at status of the other states too as of 8.30 am:
08:35 amLeads for 40 seats now in UP, primarily in Western UP. The BJP leads in 24 seats while the SP-Congress combine is ahead in 11.
08:30 am Here at Moneycontrol, we're also interested in the impact of these elections on stock markets. Read Madhuchanda Dey's take on what we can expect:
COMMENT: Election results and stock markets: This too shall pass!
08:25 amBJP takes an early lead in UP, with 10 seats to six of the SP. These are just leads, of course.
#UttarPradeshElection2017 : Drone cameras being used for surveillance near a counting centre in Lucknow #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/yP5j1ms0hf— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 11, 2017
08:23 am We've got our first trends coming in and it's a seat each for the SP and the BSP in Western Uttar Pradesh.
08:22 am Here's an alternative take. Exit polls predict a BJP win in UP, but a writer who travelled extensively through the state feels they could go wrong.
READ: Could exit polls go horribly wrong in UP? Here are five reasons
08: 15 am While the BJP is expected to claim Uttar Pradesh, it's the only major force in the state to have not announced a chief ministerial candidate. Let's take a quick peek at the contenders:
READ: UP Elections 2017: BJP CM nominee list includes Keshav Maurya & Yogi Adityanath
08.10 am And we conclude our exit poll roundup with Manipur. Okram Ibobi Singh is often called India's most popular chief minister but the BJP could spring a surprise. Remember that 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila is also in the fray.
08.07 am Things are rather interesting in Punjab. Exit polls have been unanimous on the ouster of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine. But the Congress and new entrant Aam Aadmi Party could end up finishing neck-and-neck.
08.05 am On to Uttarakhand now, where the Harish Rawat government has been on shaky ground for quite some time. This is one of the few states still under Congress rule so it will be desperately looking to retain control.
08.00 am And we're off! Counting has officially begun in all the five states. We should have a clear picture of who's won what by noon.
Interested in how counting takes place? Read below to find out more:
07.58 am Now let's look at Goa. BJP's Manohar Parrikar ruled the roost here before being appointed Defence Minister. Laximant Parsekar took the reins since will be looking to retain power. The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are look to cause an upset.
07.55 am Let's take a look at what the exit polls predict for Uttar Pradesh. Remember, the Samajwadi Party has been in power here since 2012. But the BJP swept the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
07.50 am All eyes are on Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. A win for the Bharatiya Janata Party here will be seen as a mandate on the Narendra Modi government's policies at the Centre, most notably the note ban that was enforced in November.
Watch this Insight 18 video to find out what's at stake in Uttar Pradesh:
