New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has declared the results for 542 out of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clinching 240 seats and the Congress securing 99.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make history by forming the government for a third consecutive term, leading the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Although the BJP fell short of the 272-majority mark, it garnered crucial support from key allies like N. Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)). With their combined strength, along with other alliance partners, the NDA surpassed the halfway mark.
While the Lok Sabha has 543 members, counting was held for 542 seats after the BJP's Surat candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed.
The Congress, part of the opposition INDIA bloc, secured 99 seats, making significant gains in Rajasthan and Haryana at the BJP's expense.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party led the INDIA bloc's spirits with 37 seats, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured 29 seats in West Bengal, an increase from its 2019 tally.
Despite the NDA's victory, the results didn't match the landslide projected by exit polls.
The 2024 elections, conducted from April 19 to June 1 in seven phases, saw a staggering 640 million votes cast, making it the world's largest democratic exercise.
https://results.eci.gov.in/PcResultGenJune2024/index.htm
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bengaluru: Ayush Mhatre's 94 and Ravindra Jadeja's 77 not out went in vain as Royal Challengers Bengaluru pipped Chennai Super Kings by two runs in their IPL match here on Saturday.
Chasing 214, CSK scored 211 for 5 in their 20 overs.
Mhatre scored a 48-ball 94 with five sixes and nine fours while adding 114 runs with Jadeja (77 not out off 45 balls, 8x4s, 2x6s) for the second wicket.
For RCB, Lungi Ngidi returned with figures of 3/30.
Earlier, half-centuries from Jacob Bethell (55), Virat Kohli (62) and Romario Shepherd (53 not out) took RCB to 213 for five.
While Bethell and Kohli put on 97 runs for the opening wicket to set a platform, Shepherd blasted four fours and six sixes to make 53 not out off only 14 balls, recording the fastest fifty of the season and joint second-fastest overall.
For CSK, Matheesha Pathirana found his rhythm and lengths to return 3-0-36-3.
Brief scores:
RCB: 213 for 5 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 55, Virat Kohli 62, Romario Shepherd 53 not out; Matheesha Pathirana 3/36).
CSK: 211 for 5 in 20 overs (Ayush Mhatre 94, Ravindra Jadeja 77 not out; Lungi Ngidi 3/30).