When Narendra Modi launched his campaign with the slogan “Ab ki baar, 400 paar,” he aimed for more than 400 seats for his BJP-led NDA alliance. The most optimistic exit polls even predicted a clear 400 seats for the alliance.
However, early trends indicate a much tighter contest with the Congress-led INDIA alliance, a centre-left coalition.
Speculation is already rife about whether the BJP alone will reach the 272 seats needed for a majority in the 543-seat parliament.
The lead between the two coalitions appears narrower than expected, with early trends showing a difference of only 60 to 70 seats.