BJP to form government in Gujarat for record seventh term, Congress leads in Himachal Pradesh
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), set for a record seventh straight term in Gujarat, has announced swearing-in ceremony on Monday. The event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leads show the BJP leading in 158 seats (up 59) in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state.
With just under 20 seats, Congress is looking at its worst show ever. The Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP, which launched an aggressive campaign to make it a three-cornered contest for the first time in Gujarat, has made inroads in the western state, largely at Congress’s expense. Three prominent AAP candidates, including its chief minister face Isudan Gadhvi, have lost their seat.
Himachal Pradesh, however, has proved to be a face-saver for Congress, which has taken a clear lead over the BJP after neck and neck contest after five hours of counting. The poll outcome in the hill state will decide the revival of the grand old party, which now holds power only in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, both of which will go to polls in 2023.
In the by-elections in five states including the high-profile Lok Sabha seat of Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party is leading in all three seats in Uttar Pradesh. Biju Janta Dal is leading in Padampur.