Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan account for 65 Lok Sabha seats, of which the BJP had won 62 in 2014 when the wave swept the Hindi heartland. (File)
Assembly election results 2018 highlights
The outcome of the Vidhan Sabha elections are significant as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan account for 65 Lok Sabha seats of which the BJP had won 62 in 2014 when the Narendra Modi wave swept the Hindi heartland. Agrarian distress emerged as one of the significant issues raised by the Congress in its campaign. A good showing in these states would prompt the Congress to step up its attack on the government on farm distress, an issue which put the BJP on the backfoot a year ago in Gujarat as well.
Rajasthan Assembly election results 2018
Most of the exit polls predicted a comfortable win for Congress in the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha assembly election results with the grand old party marching towards a majority mark. The BJP is battling strong anti-incumbency in Rajasthan, a state that has not voted the ruling party for a second term in the last 20 years.
Chhattisgarh Assembly election results 2018
For Chhattisgarh, most of the exit polls for the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha election results have predicted a photo finish for the state, with a neck-and-neck contest between the BJP and the Congress. If exit polls are to believed, the BSP-JCC coalition may win between three and eight seats, which may help Jogi to emerge as a kingmaker in case of a hung assembly, which is a likely outcome.
Telangana Assembly Election Results 2018
All major exit polls for Telangana Vidhan Sabha election results have shown the TRS having a clear edge over the grand alliance that was quickly stitched after KCR announced his decision to go for early polls. The final voter turnout was 73.02 per cent despite many complaining that their names were missing from the voter rolls.
Mizoram Assembly Election Results 2018
Exit polls have predicted a hung assembly for Mizoram Vidhan Sabha election results. In 2013 assembly elections, the Congress won 34 seats, while the Mizo National Front (MNF) had five and Mizoram People’s Conference bagged one seat.
At the Congress headquarters in New Delhi. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, popularly known as KCR is believed to be a case study in political survival. Devoid of any political lineage, Rao rose up the ladder purely on the basis of his undeterred commitment to the Telangana cause.
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(Photo: PTI)
The lead margin between Congress and Madhya Pradesh came down to 3 seats with Congress maintaining a lead on 112 seats, while BJP stood at 109.
After a seesaw battle, a resurgent Congress is seen nudging ahead of BJP by a slender margin in the high-stakes Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, as per latest trends by the Election Commission. While the Congress is leading in 117 seats, the BJP, which is seeking its fourth term, is giving a solid fight in a tantalisingly close race by leading in 104 seats in MP. A total of 116 seats are required to form the government in the 230-member House.
Congress, BJP have similar vote shares, but not same number of seats
Bonds and stocks rebounded after early falls on Tuesday to end stronger while the rupee recovered from the day's low as state election results were not as poor for the ruling party as some expected. But anxiety after the surprise resignation of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel the previous day kept financial market sentiment subdued.
"Despite the latest setback for the governing party, our view is that the BJP will still secure victory in the general election," analysts at Capital Economics wrote in a note. (Reuters)
India's largest political party seems to be staring at a whitewash as it virtually failed to secure or win over any of the five states in the assembly elections. Opposition parties have alleged that the results are mandate against BJP's politics of rhetorics.
The margin of lead on the assembly seats rose to 8 seats as Congress stood at 114 while BJP languished at 106. Congress, if manages to reach the majority mark, will get a shot in the arm after sweeping BJP in Chhattisgarh. The return of Congress to the Hindi-heartland will prove to be major challenge for the BJP during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Going by the seesaw between Congress and BJP, Madhya Pradesh has proven itself to be the trickiest state amongst all five states that went to poll. Congress seems to be leading with a margin of 1-6 seats, a trend that has manifested itself in the last three hours. Presently, Congress stand at 113 seats while Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP is grappling at 107.
People have recognised that BJP has done nothing in the last 5 years and they are moving towards other alternatives. People are with us in our fight against BJP. These 5 states results will help form a strong alternative to the BJP. TDP respects the mandate of people of Telangana. Congratulations to Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Also, best wishes to all the newly elected public representatives of 5 states.
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu concedes defeat, says TDP respected the mandate of people of Telangana. "Congratulations to K Chandrasekhar Rao. Also, best wishes to all the newly elected public representatives of 5 states," he said. T Harish Rao, the nephew of KCR, said people had reposed faith in the TRS chief. "The people reposed faith in the leadership of our chief minister and they did not believe in the disinformation campaign of the opposition," said T Harish Rao.
Emerging kingmaker in Madhya Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati has reportedly called all her winning MLAs to New Delhi for a meeting. The Congress will be hoping to stitch a post poll alliance with the BSP. While the party was supposed to have a pre-poll alliance, Mayawati pulled out following a disagreement over seat sharing. It will now be for the Congress to woo Mayawati and consequently form government.
Following a massive defeat in the Telangana elections, the Congress party has moved the Election Commission blaming EVM machines. "There is a strong suspicion that EVM machines have been manipulated," the Congress wrote in its letter to the EC.
"The Congress party requests that 100% counting of VVPAT papers should be taken up in all Assembly constituences of Telangana prior to the declaration of the results."
TRS President and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao wins from Gajwel constituency by over 50,000 votes. In Siddipet segment, TRS candidate T Harish Rao, a nephew of the chief minister, has established an unassailable lead of 1,19,622 votes.
With trends showing a clean sweep by TRS in Telangana, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said the Congress-led alliance, of which it is a part, needed to analyse and introspect on its "failure". "We have to analyse the factors that contributed to the success of TRS and failure of our alliance," said TDP senior leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy. "We were expecting to get more number of seats. The results are not to our expectations," Reddy said.
The Communist Party of India said the results in Telangana are unexpected, adding that TRS resorted to "huge distribution of money and liquor" to influence voters. The party said the victory was a "technical, not a moral one". CPI is part of the Congress-led alliance in the state. "Huge distribution of money, particularly on the last day (before the election)...purchasing votes..this must have resulted in this victory for TRS," Reddy alleged. "Most important: this election was not free and fair. Distribution of money and liquor... I don't think it's a moral victory for him (Rao), it's only a technical victory for TRS."
Congress leader Sachin Pilot said the BJP should be worried as they were losing states in which they had a majority. "People have rejected the BJP across three states. They were in power and used govt machinery but still could not win the elections. Sitting ministers are losing their seats. We will form a comfortable government in the state. We will be open to like-minded parties as well as those who are against the BJP's ideology," Pilot said.
Taking a jibe at BJP over its performance in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said when "one and one come together, it makes 11". In a tweet, Akhilesh said, "Jab ek aur ek milkar bante hai gyaarah, tab badey bado ki satta ho jaati hai nau do gyaarah (when one and one come together, it makes 11, and the power of the bigwigs eventually fade away)."
In Telangana, TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (Gajwel), his son KT Rama Rao (Sircilla) and nephew T Harish Rao (Siddipet) have established handsome leads as the party's gamble to go in for early elections seems to be paying off. KCR is leading by 9,212 votes over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy. Rama Rao is ahead of KK Mahender Reddy (Congress) by 5,096 votes. Harish Rao is leading by 19,989 votes over his nearest TJS nominee Bhavani Reddy.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said the party was open to a tie-up with independent candidates and other parties. "Congress has won the mandate. Numbers can go up and down but the public's mandate is in the favour of Congress. We will get a clear majority, still we would want independent candidates and parties other than BJP to support us if they want," he told reporters.
As things stand, the Congress is still short of a full majority in the state. Gehlot's statement to media hints that the Congress is open to forming a post-poll alliance with independents or like-minded parties. However, history shows that the BJP has always managed to outmanoeuvre the Congress in states that threw up a hung verdict.
After trailing behind in the initial trends, BJP leader and Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh has picked up a lead of over 100 votes in Rajnandgaon. While he has secured 3754 votes as of now, Congress candidate and Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla has bagged 3609 votes.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House, Home Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh congratulated all the winners of the five election states but added that the results were not a referendum on the performance of the Central government. "I congratulate all those who have won the elections... the results are not an indication of the performance of the Union government," Rajnath Singh said.
Congress leader Ashok Gehlot reiterated that the Congress will form the government in Rajasthan and that it was all the hardwork of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He refused to comment on whether he would be the next chief minister of the state. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said party chief Rahul Gandhi would decide who would be the CM in Rajasthan. "We should wait till the end for the results but it is clear that the Congress is going to form the government in three states. The hard work of the Congress party over the five years has shown in the results. The people have blessed us... we will get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan," he said.
In a setback to two-time Chief Minister Lal Thanhwala, the Congress leader lost Champhai South seat to Mizo National Front’s TJ Lalnuntulanga. He is also trailing behind in Serchhip – from where he won seven times since 1984, except for in 1998. Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM)’s CM candidate Lalduhoma is leading in Serchhip.
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee tweeted following the election results saying it was a victory of the people against divisive politics. "People voted against BJP. This is the people’s verdict and the victory of the people of this country. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people, farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste. Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the ‘man of the match’ of democracy. My congrats to the winners."
Congress leader Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot are both leading in their respective constituencies of Tonk and Sardarpura by more than 2,000 and 5,000 votes. The BJP has fielded Yoonus Khan from Tonk, which is a Muslim-dominated constituency. BJP’s Ajit Singh Mehta won this seat in the 2013 Rajasthan Assembly Elections.
Speaking to reporters in Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath said his party was confident of winning with a full majority. "No, we won't need outside support.. we will form government on our own," Nath told reporters when asked if he would approach Mayawati's BSP for support to form government.