Early India election count shows Modi lead narrowing

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.