Results pouring in from the Election Commission (EC) put the BJP comfortably ahead of the Congress in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while thanking voters termed the mandate proof that “the people of India are firmly with politics of good governance and development, which the BJP stands for”.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot termed the verdict ‘shocking’, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a statement conceded that the party’s performance in the three states “have no doubt been disappointing”. Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, said the party accepts the people’s verdict with “humility”.
For the Congress, the only silver lining was its showing in Telangana, where the party has managed to dislodge the BRS.
Assembly Election Results 2023 highlights:
9.45 pm: Updates to this blog have ended.
9.30 pm: The Election Commission has declared results for all seats barring 18 in Madhya Pradesh, 1 in Rajasthan, 3 in Telangana and 7 in Chhattisgarh.
In MP, the BJP has registered a win in 153 seats and is leading in another 11, while the Congress has won 58 seats and is leading in another 7. The one remaining seat went to the Bharat Adivasi Party.
In Rajasthan, the BJP has won 115 seats, while the Congress won only 68 and is leading on 1. Three seats have been won by the Bharat Adivasi Party, 2 by the BSP, 1 each by RLD and RLP, and 8 by Independents.
In Telangana, the Congress registered a win in 64 seats, while the BRS won 37 and is leading on 2. Eight seats went to the BJP, 1 to the CPI and 6 to the AIMIM, which is also leading on the remaining 1 seat.
In Chhattisgarh, the BJP has won in 49 seats and is leading in 5, while the Congress has won in 33 and is leading in 2 seats. The Gondvana Gantantra Party emerged victorious in the 1 remaining seat.
7.30 pm: Telangana governor accepts CM KCR’s resignation, ThePrint has learnt. A press communique issued by the Raj Bhavan said that the Governor “accepted his resignation letter and further requested him to continue in office till formation of new government”.
7:15 pm: Addressing scores of ecstatic party workers at the BJP HQ in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the party’s “historic” win in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
“There were many attempts to divide the country along party lines during this election but I was repeatedly saying that for me, there were four main castes in the country: women power, power of youth are the biggest castes…farmers and our poor families,” he said.
The support of the women voter, said the Prime Minister, is a key pillar of support for the BJP. “With all humility, I say this to all sisters and daughters, the promises made to you will definitely be fulfilled. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he added.
Modi also said that the outcome of the assembly polls show that anger among youngsters dislodged incumbents in three states.
“The Indian voter knows that when India moves forward, the life of each family is improved,” he added. Referring to the general election next year, the Prime Minister also said: “Today’s hat-trick is a guarantee for 2024 hat-trick.”
6.45 pm: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has tendered his resignation to Governor Kalraj Mishra, according to the Raj Bhawan.
मुख्यमंत्री श्री @ashokgehlot51 जी ने राजभवन पहुंचकर माननीय राज्यपाल श्री कलराज मिश्र जी को मुख्यमंत्री पद से अपना त्यागपत्र सौंपा। राज्यपाल श्री मिश्र जी ने तत्काल प्रभाव से त्यागपत्र स्वीकार करते हुए उनसे राज्य में नई सरकार के गठन होने तक कार्य करते रहने का आग्रह किया है। pic.twitter.com/wRvD3BN6cH
— Raj Bhavan Rajasthan (@RajBhavanJaipur) December 3, 2023
6.30 pm: Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, BRS working president KTR said the party was “disappointed” at the outcome of the assembly polls but “not sad”.
“We are a party that fought that tough way against all odds to create Telangana,” he said.
6.15 pm: For Chhattisgarh, EC has declared results for 13 seats, of which 8 have been won by BJP and 5 by the Congress. On the remaining 77 seats, the BJP is leading on 48 and the Congress on the remaining 30.
For Madhya Pradesh, results have been declared for 81 seats, of which the BJP won 65 and the Congress 15. One seat has been secured by Bharat Adivasi Party. On the remaining 149 seats, the BJP is leading on 101 seats and the Congress on the remaining 48.
For Rajasthan, EC has declared results for 143 seats, of which the BJP won 88 and the Congress 48 while Independents won 4 and those who contested on the symbol of the Bharat Adivasi Party won 2. The BSP has been able to secure a victory on 1 seat.
In Telangana the Congress has won 40 and the BJP seats. EC data shows a BRS win 17 seats and an AIMIM win in 7.
Also Read: BJP’s Rajasthan manifesto: Anti-Romeo squads, ‘freebies’ & wheat procurement at ‘bonus’ prices
6.00 pm: An emotional Shivraj Singh Chouhan took to X Sunday to thank his “friends on social media” for showering him with “love, support and affection” in the run-up to the polls.
“I assure you that we will live up to your expectations and will continue to serve the people of the state,” said the four-time chief minister.
सोशल मीडिया के मेरे मित्रों,
पूरे कैंपेन के दौरान आपका जो प्यार, सहयोग और स्नेह मिला, वो अद्भुत व अभूतपूर्व था।
आपके प्यार और सहयोग के जरिये आज भारतीय जनता पार्टी ने मध्यप्रदेश में ऐतिहासिक सफलता प्राप्त की है।
आपका यह प्रेम और स्नेह बना रहे…
मैं आपको विश्वास दिलाता हूं कि… pic.twitter.com/411uSTQjba
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) December 3, 2023
5.45 pm: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who plunged headlong into the poll campaign in the four states where polling was held between 7 and 30 October, said in a post on X that the party accepts the mandate of the people in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with “humility”. He also thanked the people of Telangana, where the party dislodged the BRS, and assured them that the Congress will fulfil its poll promises.
मध्य प्रदेश, छत्तीसगढ़ और राजस्थान का जनादेश हम विनम्रतापूर्वक स्वीकार करते हैं – विचारधारा की लड़ाई जारी रहेगी।
तेलंगाना के लोगों को मेरा बहुत धन्यवाद – प्रजालु तेलंगाना बनाने का वादा हम ज़रूर पूरा करेंगे।
सभी कार्यकर्ताओं को उनकी मेहनत और समर्थन के लिए दिल से शुक्रिया।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 3, 2023
5.30 pm: News agency ANI quoted sources to report that the Election Commission has suspended Anjani Kumar, Director General of Police (DGP), Telangana, for violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Earlier in the day, Kumar was photographed meeting and handing over a bouquet to state Congress chief Revanth Reddy at the latter’s residence in Hyderabad, hours after early trends by the EC put Congress in pole position to dislodge the KCR-led BRS government.
Also Read: Rajasthan’s Gurjars are upset at Congress’s ‘betrayal’ of Sachin Pilot. For BJP, it’s an opportunity
5.15 pm: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a statement Sunday evening thanked people who voted for the party in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. He did not mince his words and said the party’s performance in the three states in the Hindi heartland “have no doubt been disappointing, but with determination, we reaffirm our strong resolve to rebuild and revive ourselves in these three states”.
Stating that the Congress fought a “spirited campaign” in all four states, he added that the party will “overcome temporary setbacks” and prepare for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections along with the INDIA parties”.
Statement issued by Congress President Shri @kharge on the State Legislative Assembly election results 2023 pic.twitter.com/FvSMO9PJQa
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 3, 2023
5.00 pm: Speaking to media persons in the national capital, outgoing Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot termed the outcome of assembly elections in the state “shocking”. Reiterating that his government’s schemes were being “talked about” around the country, Gehlot said he accepted the people’s mandate and extended best wishes to the BJP, which is likely to emerge as the single largest party in the state.
04.45 pm: ECI trends for Rajasthan have BJP leading in 115 seats, the Congress in 69 seats, the BSP in 2, and the Bharat Adivasi Party in 3. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP is ahead in 167 seats and the Congress in 62, while the Bharat Adivasi Party is leading in 1.
The outcome of assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh “indicate that the people of India are firmly with politics of good governance and development, which the BJP stands for,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X Sunday.
He thanked the people of states that went to the polls for their “unwavering support” and assured them that the party will keep “working tirelessly for their well-being”. He also thanked BJP workers for their work.
In Chhattisgarh, BJP is leading in 54 and the Congress in 36 seats.
We bow to the Janta Janardan.
The results in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan indicate that the people of India are firmly with politics of good governance and development, which the @BJP4India stands for.
I thank the people of these states for their unwavering…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 3, 2023
In Telangana, early trends have the Congress ahead in 63 seats, BRS in 40, BJP in 9, AIMIM in 6 and CPI in 1.
In a separate post, Modi thanked voters of Telangana for supporting the BJP and termed the bond between them and the party as “unbreakable”.
My dear sisters and brothers of Telangana,
Thank you for your support to the @BJP4India. Over the last few years, this support has only been increasing and this trend will continue in the times to come.
Our bond with Telangana is unbreakable and we will keep working for the…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 3, 2023
Also read: Tribal vote swings to BJP in 3 states, decisive in Chhattisgarh victory
04.15 pm: Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, Telangana Congress chief Revanth Reddy said Sunday, “Congress’s responsibility to fulfil Telangana people’s aspirations has gone up thanks to this verdict.”
“We dedicate this assembly election victory to Telangana martyrs,” he added.
04.00 pm: Results have been declared for 32 seats in Rajasthan, with 20 going to the BJP’s kitty, 9 to the Congress’ and 1 each to that of the Bharat Adivasi Party, BSP, Independent.
Jaswant Singh Gurjar of the BSP has won from Bari, while Independent candidate Chandrabhan Singh Chouhan has been declared the winner in Chittorgarh and Bharat Adivasi Party’s Rajkumar Roat the winner in Chorasi.
Seats declared for the BJP are: Dhod, Jhotwara, Jamwa Ramgarh, Hawa Mahal, Vidhyadhar Nagar, Bagru, Behror, Bansur, Alwar Urban, Mahuwa, Khandar, Ajmer South, Degana, Jaisalmer, Siwana, Pindwara abu, Nimbahera, Bari Sadri, Rajsamand, Asind, Sangod, Ramganj Mandi, Jhalrapatan and Manohar Thana.
Seats declared in favour of the Congress are: Anupgarh, Fatehpur, Sikar, Chomu, Phulera, Kishan Pole, Adarsh Nagar, Alwar Rural, Baseri, Dholpur, Rajakhera, Hindaun and Pipalda.
Meena Kumari, who contested as an independent candidate against her father, BJP’s Jairam Jatav, from the Alwar Rural seat failed to make a mark, securing less than 500 votes till 1.30 pm Sunday.
However, for Meena, who contested the elections as a mark of protest against alleged discrimination at home, what comes as consolation is the fact that her father, too, lost. Read ThePrint’s story about Meena Kumari, who claims she was “forced to come out of the kitchen” to contest against her father because of the “ill-treatment” she faced from him since she was born.
03.45 pm: After today’s poll results, save Himachal Pradesh, the Congress will find itself nearly wiped out from the political map of North India, which accounts for the largest number of Lok Sabha seats. The BJP will further consolidate its base in the region where it has established a near hegemonic presence.
Read ThePrint’s report on how the BJP is sweeping the heartland states in Rajasthan, MP & Chhattisgarh.
03.25 pm: In a post on X Sunday, state minister K.T. Rama Rao thanked the people Telangana for giving the BRS two consecutive terms and also congratulated the Congress.
Grateful to the people of Telangana for giving @BRSparty two consecutive terms of Government 🙏
Not saddened over the result today, but surely disappointed as it was not in expected lines for us. But we will take this in our stride as a learning and will bounce back…
— KTR (@KTRBRS) December 3, 2023
03.15 pm: Results have begun to trickle in with the EC declaring the outcome in 2 seats in MP, 16 in Rajasthan and 3 in Telangana.
In Telangana, the Quthbullapur seat has been declared in favour of the BRS candidate who won by a massive margin of more than 85,000 votes. Two other seats, Jukkal and Medak, have been declared in favour of the Congress’ Laxmi Kantha Rao Thota and Mynampally Rohith, respectively. The margin of victory in Jukkal, which the BRS won in 2018, was 1,152 votes this time around. Similarly, in Medak, the sitting BRS MLA was trounced by the Congress candidate by a margin of 10,157 votes.
03.00 pm: In the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, where the party is strongly in lead, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan told media persons, “Ladli Behno ne jawab de diya hai (Ladli behen have spoken).”
The CM was referring to state government’s Ladli Behna Yojana, launched this March, which promises Rs 1,000 per month to women between 23 to 60 years of age, with a total outlay of Rs 8,000 crore. A crucial aspect of the scheme is the formation of the Ladli Behna Senas, networks of women volunteers working at the village and ward levels. Read ThePrint’s report on what the scheme is all about.
02.45 pm: BJP’s Vasundhara Raje wins from Jhalrapatan seat, beating Congress’s Ram Lal Chouhan by 53,000 votes.
“This is a win for PM Modi’s guarantees, Amit Shah’s strategies and J.P. Nadda’s leadership. This is a win for BJP workers, victory of the people. People will make PM Modi win in 2024 as well,” she said.
The EC has also declared Nepanagar in Madhya Pradesh in favour of Manju Dadu of the BJP who defeated Congress’ Gendu Bai by a margin of 44,805 votes. Dadu had lost the seat to Sumitra Kasdekar of the Congress in 2018.
02.30 pm: Richa Jogi, the daughter-in-law of Chhattisgarh’s first chief minister and Janta Congress Chhattisgarh chief late Ajit Jogi, is trailing Raghavendra Kumar Singh of the Congress and Saurabh Singh of the BJP in Akaltara seat in Janjgit-Champa district. This is Richa Jogi’s maiden election.
Raghvendra Singh is leading in this seat by a margin of 14,895 votes.
In Madhya Pradesh, one of the three Union ministers fielded by the BJP in Madhya Pradesh to wrest seats it lost in 2018, Narendra Tomar was trailing in the Dimani assembly constituency, which falls under his Morena Lok Sabha seat, by over 1,660 votes, according to EC trends at 1.15 pm, with 8 of 19 counting rounds completed. Congress candidate Ravindra Tomar had the lead.
Before voting on 17 November, Narendra Singh Tomar found himself in a controversy after videos surfaced online, purportedly showing his son Devendra Pratap Singh Tomar discussing deals worth hundreds of crores. Read ThePrint’s report.
02.15 pm: Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national general secretary Kailash Vijayavargiya is leading by 28,000 votes over the Congress’s billionaire candidate Sanjay Shukla in Indore-1 assembly constituency.
Among the BJP’s big guns in this election, Vijayvargiya had told voters in the run-up to the election that he wasn’t gunning to be just an MLA and that he is poised for a larger role in the party. Read ThePrint’s report.
02.00 pm: The EC has declared the result for Telangana’s Quthbullapur assembly seat in favour of K.P. Vivekanand of the BRS, who defeated his nearest rival Kuna Srisailam Goud of the BJP by a massive margin of 85,576 votes.
The BJP registered another victory in Rajasthan with its candidate Govind Prasad defeating his nearest rival Kailash Chand, an Independent, by a margin of 24,865 votes. This was among the seats in which the BJP dropped its sitting MLA and fielded a new face.
01.45 pm: ECI trends show the BJP leading in 113 seats in Rajasthan, followed by the Congress in 70, Independents in 9, and the BSP and Bharat Adivasi Party in 2 each.
In Madhya Pradesh, EC trends put the BJP ahead in 162 seats and the Congress in 65, the BSP in 2 and Bharat Adivasi Party in 1.
In Chhattisgarh, BJP has the lead in 54 and the Congress in 33 seats, while the Gondvana Gantantra Party, the BSP and the CPI are leading in 1 each.
As of 1.45 pm, trends show the Congress leading in 65 seats and the BRS in 39 seats in Telangana. The BJP is ahead in 9, the AIMIM in 5 and the CPI in 1.
Speaking about the Congress’s performance, the party’s spokesperson in Rajasthan, R.C. Choudhary, said to ThePrint, “This is the trend only and we are waiting for the results as margins are very slim on many seats. The Gehlot government has been doing politics for the cause of people and we are confident that the situation will change by the time final results are reached.”
01.35 pm: After an initial lead, Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and senior Congress leader T.S. Singhdeo is trailing in his Ambikapur seat, which he has won in the last three elections. He is trailing behind the BJP’s Rajesh Agarwal — formerly with the Congress. A scion of the erstwhile royal family of Surguja, Singhdeo, often referred to as ‘Maharaja’ or ‘Baba’, holds considerable sway in the tribal-dominated region. Read ThePrint’s profile of the Congress leader.
01.25 pm: The EC has declared the first definite result in Rajasthan — Chorasi assembly constituency, in favour of Rajkumar Roat of the Bharat Adivasi Party.
Roat defeated his nearest rival, Sushil Katara of the BJP, by a sizable margin of 69,166 votes. The sitting MP from Chorasi, Roat had defeated BJP’s Sushil Kataria from this seat in 2018 by a margin of 12,934 votes.
01.10 pm: In Telangana, where the Congress remains firmly in lead, Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar and other police officers met state Congress president Revanth Reddy at his residence in Hyderabad and presented him with flower bouquets.
Veteran BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena is ahead of Danish Abrar of the Congress by a margin of 14,079 votes after the tenth of 19 rounds of voting. Abrar had won the seat on a Congress ticket in 2018 by defeating BJP’s Asha Meena by a margin of 25,199 votes.
The Congress is leading in 64 seats in the state with the ruling BRS ahead in 40.
01.00 pm: In Rajasthan, BJP leader and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje is leading by 48,489 votes over her nearest rival, the Congress’s Ram Lal Chauhan, in Jhalrapatan assembly constituency as of 12.45 pm. While the two-term CM hasn’t been projected as the BJP’s CM candidate in this election, she remains in contention for the top post as the party’s most popular face in the state. Read ThePrint’s report.
In Udaipur, Congress’s Gourav Vallabh trails by 20,595 votes behind BJP’s Tarachand Jain.
12.45 pm: Madhya Pradesh BJP minister and senior party leader Narottam Mishra continued to trail in his constituency Datia, even though his party has turned things around in the state. He was behind main rival and Congress leader Rajendra Bharti by 2,243 votes till 12.20 pm. Read ThePrint’s report on the BJP’s controversial leader who had once said that he would oppose “any love that leads to jihad”.
Speaking to ThePrint, Kant Deo Singh, the BJP’s state vice-president, said, “This overwhelming majority is a victory of BJP workers. This has been possible because of the schemes of Narendra Modi ji and Shivraj ji. We were expecting such a big victory.”
Union minister and BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in Bhopal, speaking to the media, says “Congress was preparing ladoos and putting up congratulatory posters while we were doing our work quietly…Ladli Behna scheme is a game-changer and the full credit for it goes to Shivraj Singh Chouhan.”
12.30 pm: Celebrations erupt outside Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee office in Hyderabad as trends show Congress ahead of incumbent BRS.
12.15 pm: In the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh’s Patan seat, CM Bhupesh Baghel is leading by 164 votes, trailed by Vijay Baghel of the BJP.
In Konta, reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) and part of the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, Congress’s Kawasi Lakhma is trailing by 986 and the CPI has taken the lead.
Deputy CM T.S. Singhdeo is leading by 1,142 votes in Ambikapur constituency.
12.00 pm: CNN News18’s trends put the Congress comfortably ahead of BRS in Telangana, while giving the the BJP a comfortable lead over the Congress in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for now.
11.45: In Rajasthan, Yoonus Khan, a Vasundhara Raje loyalist, who contested from his traditional seat Deedwana as an Independent after being denied a ticket by the BJP, is leading by 7,727 votes over main rival Chetan Dudi of Congress. Read ThePrint’s report on Khan and his ascent in politics.
Also Read: Rajasthan polls: Raje, loyalists in BJP’s 2nd candidate list, Congress 1st list has Gehlot & Pilot
11.30 am: Reacting to early trends, BJP leader Jaiveer Shergill told media persons Sunday that the BJP is hopeful of managing a score of “3-0”.
11.15 am: Early trends by the EC put BJP ahead in 46 and the Congress ahead in 40 seats in Chhattisgarh, with the CPI candidate leading in 1 seat.
In Madhya Pradesh, BJP candidates are leading in 150 seats, and the Congress in 69. Trends also show the BSP, Prahar Janshakti Party and Bharat Adivasi Party leading in 1 seat each.
As of 11.15 am, EC trends put the BJP ahead in 106 seats, the Congress in 73 and the BSP and Bharat Adivasi Party ahead in 3 seats each. Further, the CPI(M) is in the lead in 1 seat and Independents in 9.
In Telangana, Congress candidates are ahead in 59 seats, with the BRS leading in 34, the BJP in 9 and the AIMIM and CPI in 1 seat.
10.50 am: In Chhattisgarh, Shivkumar Dahariya, a minister in the Bhupesh Baghel government, is leading in Arang seat with BJP’s Guru Khushwant Saheb in tow after the first of 17 rounds of counting. Fellow minister Anila Bhendia, meanwhile, is ahead of BJP’s Devlal Thakur in Dandi Lohara by 1,488 votes after the first of 20 rounds of counting.
Umesh Patel, the minister of higher education in the Baghel government, is in the lead in Kharsia, with BJP’s Mahesh Sahu in tow by 4,994 voters after the third of 20 rounds of counting. Minister Ravindra Choubey is also in the lead in Saja with a margin of 993 votes over his nearest rival, BJP’s Ishwar Sahu, after the first of 22 rounds of counting.
In Konta, minister Kawasi Lakhma is trailing Manish Kunjam of the CPI by 411 votes after the second of 17 rounds of counting. A similar trend is coming to light from Korba, where revenue minister Jaisingh Agrawal is trailing BJP’s Lakhanlal Devangan by 831 votes after the first of 18 rounds of counting. In Nawagarh, minister Guru Rudra Kumar is behind Dayaldas Baghel of the BJP by 660 votes after the second of 22 rounds of counting.
CM Baghel is leading in Patan with a margin of 187 votes against BJP’s Vijay Baghel after the first round of counting.
Early trends from the ECI show Chhattisgarh BJP president Arun Sao ahead of Thaneshvar Sahu of the Congress in Lormi by 582 votes after two rounds of counting. Speaking to the media, Sao says, “In the past five years, the Congress has destroyed Chhattisgarh. People of Chhattisgarh know that only the BJP can protect the state and that’s why they will give their blessings to us.”
Also Read: In poll-bound Chhattisgarh’s conflict-hit Bastar villages, children dream big — NEET, UPSC & NDA
10.30 am: According to early trends by the EC, former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot is trailing BJP’s Ajit Singh Mehta in Tonk, the seat he won in 2018 by defeating Yoonus Khan of the BJP by a margin of 54,179 votes. In Kota North, Ashok Gehlot-aide Shanti Dhariwal is trailing Prahlad Gunjal of the Congress by 1,021 votes.
Former BJP state president Satish Poonia is trailing Congress’ Prashant Sharma in Amber by 2,576 votes.
In Tijara, BJP MP Balak Nath is ahead by a huge margin. In his campaign speeches in the constituency, he had alleged that there is a disparity in the Congress government’s approach in the state towards Hindus and Muslims and said that the influence of those who follow “Talibani” principles had hindered development in Mewat, which has a sizable Muslim population. Read Ishadrita Lahiri’s full report here.
10.20 am: Trends show Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Revanth Reddy leading in Kodangal and Kamareddy. BRS minister Harish Rao is leading with over 5,200 votes in Siddipet. In Sircilla, Telangana minister and KCR’s son K.T. Rama Rao leading by 204 votes.
10.10 am: In Madhya Pradesh, ECI trends put the BJP ahead in 97 seats and the Congress in 37, while the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) is leading in 3. In Chhattisgarh, BJP candidates are leading in 23 and the Congress candidates in 18 seats. In Telangana, ECI trends have the Congress ahead in 38 seats, BRS in 23 and the BJP in 2.
Also Read: Why so angry? BRS critics lash into ‘haughtiness’ of ministers in poll-bound Telangana
10.00 am: According to EC trends, Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste is trailing behind Chainsingh Warkade by 2,015 votes in Niwas assembly seat in Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh. Kulaste was among the three Union ministers in the fray in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP had lost Niwas in 2018 by a margin of 28,315 votes.
Imarti Devi of the BJP is leading in Madhya Pradesh’s Dabra, with Congress’ Suresh Raje in tow. A Scindia loyalist, Imarti Devi had in the run-up to the elections requested the Union minister to make Dabra a district. The 48-year-old was among the legislators who followed Scindia’s cue and joined the BJP in March 2020. She was made a minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government but gave up her cabinet birth after losing the assembly bypoll for Dabra in 2020.
State’s Congress president Kamal Nath is leading in Chhindwara by 1,944 against BJP’s Vivek Bunty Sahu.
Congress leader and former state minister Jitu Patwari, who won from Rau assembly seat in 2018 by a margin of 5,703 votes, is trailing BJP’s Madhu Verma by 9,487 after 2 rounds of counting.
Also read: What Congress and BJP posters in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh say and hide
09.40 am: In Rajasthan, BJP MP Diya Kumari is leading in Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency against Congress’s Sita Ram Agarwal by 420 votes, show ECI trends.
09.30 am: According to Election Commission of India (ECI) trends, BJP in Rajasthan is ahead in 52 seats and the Congress in 34. As of 9.30 am, CPI(M), RLD and BSP are ahead in 1 seat each, while the Bharat Adivasi Party, formed a few months before elections, is leading in 4.
In Madhya Pradesh, BJP is leading in 37 and Congress in 7 seats, shows ECI trends.
In Chhattisgarh, Congress is leading in 5 seats, with the BJP ahead in just 1.
09.15 am: In Rajasthan, early trends show CM Ashok Gehlot leading in his Sardarpura constituency. In Telangana, K. Chandrashekar Rao trailing in both his seats — Gajwel and Kamareddy.
In Madhya Pradesh, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan is ahead by 3,023 votes in Budhni assembly constituency in Sehore district. A total of 12 candidates are in the fray in this seat, including Vikram Mastal of the Congress. Voters in Budhni have elected Chouhan to the legislative assembly five times since 1990. In the state’s Datia seat, BJP minister Narottam Mishra is trailing.
'भारत माता की जय, जनता जनार्दन की जय'
आज मध्यप्रदेश विधानसभा चुनाव के नतीजे आ रहे हैं और मुझे विश्वास है कि जनता के आशीर्वाद व आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के कुशल नेतृत्व में भारतीय जनता पार्टी पूर्ण बहुमत के साथ फिर सरकार बनाने जा रही है।
भाजपा के सभी…
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) December 3, 2023
Mastal, who is making his political debut against the four-time CM, had played ‘Hanuman’ in the 2008-09 TV adaptation of the Ramayana. While on the campaign trail, Mastal had told ThePrint that the BJP does not have a “patent” on Ram. Read the full interview here.
09.00 am: Speaking to the media, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath says, “I am quite confident and have full trust in the public.”
08.45 am: CNN News18’s early trends have BJP leading in 98 and the Congress in 71 seats in Rajasthan.
In Telangana, the Congress is ahead in 45 seats. The BRS is leading in 31 seats, BJP in 3 and the AIMIM in 5.
In Madhya Pradesh, early trends put the BJP ahead in 96 seats and the Congress in 74, while in Chhattisgarh, Congress is leading in 44 and the BJP in 34 seats.
Also read: BJP ‘win’ in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is built on perception. Voters are falling for it
08.30 am: “The public has blessed the BJP with complete majority. Misgovernance and injustice will lose, good governance and justice will prevail,” says BJP Rajasthan President CP Joshi.
Read ThePrint report on what the party’s manifesto in the state has promised — ‘freebies’, wheat procurement at ‘bonus’ prices, free education for girls from economically disadvantaged families and Anti-Romeo squads, among other things.
Meanwhile, in Telangana, BRS Member of Legislative Council K. Kavitha has expressed confidence in her party’s chances, says, “We are very confident that we will win again with the blessings of the people of Telangana.”
08.20 am: With counting of postal ballots underway for 638 assembly seats across four states, early trends by CNN News18 show the BJP leading in 42 and the Congress in 33 seats in Rajasthan. In Madhya Pradesh, early trends put the BJP ahead in 56 seats and the Congress in 34. In Telangana, early trends have the Congress ahead in 27 seats, BRS in 17 and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in 5 seats, while in Chhattisgarh, Congress candidates are leading in 29 and the BJP candidates in 23 seats.
08.00 am: Counting begins with postal ballots being taken up first. This will be followed by counting of votes polled in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at 8.30 am.
07.45 am: Counting of votes is set to begin in 30 minutes in four of the five states that witnessed a high-pitched electoral contest over the past two months.
For Madhya Pradesh, where 116 is the magic number required to form a government, at least five of the six exit polls analysed by ThePrint give the BJP an edge over the Congress.
For Rajasthan, where the majority mark is 101, three of the six exit polls predicted a win for the Congress and the remaining three for the BJP.
For Telangana, where the magic number is 60, five of the six exit polls hint at a close win for the Congress, with the BRS not too far behind.
And in Chhattisgarh, where the majority mark is 46, all six exit polls delivered a unanimous verdict: the Congress finishing ahead of the BJP.
Important to note, however, is that these surveys are not always accurate in their predictions.
Also read: Influencers, memes & WhatsApp — social media war rooms are frontline in battle for Telangana
07.15 am: All eyes are on strong rooms set up by the Election Commission in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana where counting of votes will begin at 8 am.
With less than six months to go for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the outcome of assembly polls in these states will be crucial for the two national parties in the fray — the BJP and the Congress — since these four states together account for 82 Lok Sabha seats, of which the BJP won 65 and the Congress six in the 2019 general elections.
The outcome will also determine whether BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh, Congress’ Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan and Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh were able to dodge anti-incumbency. The same applies for K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) of the BRS in Telangana.
Also read: Before polling & after — women voters of Madhya Pradesh have Congress & BJP on tenterhooks
12.45 am: With less than eight hours to go before election results start pouring in, here’s a look at how political parties in the fray in these four states fared in the 2018 assembly poll.
In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP won 109 seats with a vote share of 41.02 percent and the Congress 114 seats with 40.89 percent of the vote. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) won two seats and the Samajwadi Party (SP) one seat, while voters in four seats elected Independents to the MP Legislative Assembly.
In Rajasthan, the BJP won 73 seats with a vote share of 38.77 percent, and the Congress 100 seats with a vote share of 39.30 percent. The BSP won six seats, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) three, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) two and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) one seat, while Independents emerged victorious in 13 seats.
In Telangana, the BRS (then TRS) won 88 seats with a vote share of 46.87 percent, and the Congress 19 seats with 28.43 percent of the vote. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won seven seats, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) two and the BJP and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) one seat each, while one seat went to an Independent.
And in Chhattisgarh, the BJP won 15 seats with a vote share of 32.97 percent, and the Congress 68 seats with 43.04 percent of the vote. The Janta Congress Chhattisgarh won five and the BSP three seats.
Also Read: In no-big-ideas campaign, BJP just followed Congress cues on doles & caste. Karnataka still hurting
12.30 am: Polling for Madhya Pradesh’s 230 assembly seats (35 reserved for SCs and 47 for STs) was held in a single phase on 17 November. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the state with 5.61 crore voters and 64,523 polling stations recorded a turnout of 71.11 percent.
In Rajasthan too, polling was held in a single phase for 199 of 200 assembly seats (34 reserved for SCs and 25 for STs) on 25 November. EC data shows that the state with 5.26 crore voters and 51,756 polling stations recorded a turnout of 68.24 percent. Polling in Karanpur in Ganganagar district was adjourned on account of a candidate’s death.
Polling for Telangana’s 119 assembly seats (19 reserved for SCs and 12 for STs) was also held in a single phase on 30 November. The state with 3.17 crore voters and 35,356 polling stations recorded a turnout of 63.94 percent.
In Chhattisgarh, polling was held in two phases for 119 assembly seats (10 reserved for SCs and 9 for STs). The first phase witnessed voting in 20 seats on 7 November, with a turnout of 60.92 percent, while in the second phase, voting was held in the remaining 70 seats with a turnout of 67.34 percent. A total of 24,109 polling stations were set up across the state for its 2.03 crore voters.
Also Read: Cash now over development later — voters’ distrust of govts leads to more sops, lighter treasuries