'Bloody hell': Omar Abdullah reacts to vote counting trends
What's the story
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to social media to express his surprise at the ongoing vote counting in four states and one Union Territory of India. He posted a cryptic message on X (formerly Twitter) saying, "Bloody hell," along with shocked emoticons. The vote counting for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal started at 8:00am IST on Monday.
Election trends
BJP leading in Assam, making strides in West Bengal
As per the latest trends, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in Assam and making major strides in West Bengal. The party has crossed the majority mark in both states. In West Bengal, the BJP is leading on 193 seats while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is leading on 94 seats. In Assam, the BJP is leading in 99 seats.
Political upset
TVK leads on 110 seats in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar's party, TVK, is leading in 110 seats. This is a major shock to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is leading on only 48 seats. The TVK's performance breaks the long-standing duopoly of Dravidian parties in the state.
Election forecast
Congress ahead in Kerala
In Kerala, the Congress party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) seems set to form a government after 10 years as trends show them crossing the halfway mark in the state. In Puducherry, Chief Minister N Rangasamy's All India NR Congress (AINRC)-led NDA is set to retain power in the 30-seat Assembly. The NRC alliance was leading in 18 seats, while the Congress-led alliance was leading in seven seats.