NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party has taken a clear lead as the counting of votes is underway after the country’s marathon general election.
The alliance led by his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ahead in more than 300 seats and Modi is hopeful of securing his majority.
Counting began at 8 am according to local time after six weeks of voting ended on Sunday.
Modi was up against a resurgent main opposition Congress party and powerful regional rivals across the country.
This election is seen as a referendum on Modi, a polarizing figure adored by many but also blamed for increasing divisions in India.
The main opposition alliance headed by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party is ahead in fewer than 100 seats.
A party or coalition needs at least 272 seats to secure a majority in the 543-member lower house of parliament, or Lok Sabha.
In 2014, the BJP won 282 seats – the biggest victory by any party in 30 years – and with its allies, it secured 336 seats in that parliament.
The Congress, which won just 44, suffered its worst defeat in 2014 and with its allies took up just 60 seats in the lower house.
This year, there were 900 million voters eligible to take part in seven rounds of voting, making it the largest election the world had ever seen.
(Agencies)
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