Television crews assembled outside the BJP office in Mumbai ahead of counting of votes
As votes are counted, very early leads bring good tidings for the BJP. If it holds on to its current leads, it could form the next government on its own in Maharashtra. It is also ahead in Haryana.
Here are the latest developments:
The BJP had won 23 of 48 seats in Maharashtra in the general elections and seven of Haryana's 10. In early leads, it is holding on to that dominance in almost all. These are only the first rounds of counting and leads could change.
Diwali seemed to have come early at the BJP office in Mumbai. Early this morning, it was decked up in paper lanterns and fairy lights, party flags fluttering everywhere in anticipation of victory today. In stark contrast was the Maharashtra Congress office which wore a deserted look.
Today's results are seen as the first big test for whether what the BJP calls the "Modi wave" endures. In both states, the party dumped allies and fought solo banking only the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who campaigned extensively.
Some exit polls said the BJP could fall short of the halfway mark in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly, and Mumbai has been buzzing with hectic politicking amid speculation about post poll alliances.
The exit polls predict a clear majority for the BJP in the 90-member Haryana Assembly.
In the elections held on October 15, Haryana recorded its highest ever turnout at 73 per cent. Maharashtra had one of its highest turnouts at 62 per cent. Conventionally, big turnouts are seen as a sign that people want change.
NDTV's poll of polls - which aggregates the results of four polls in Maharashtra and three in Haryana - showed that the BJP could win 132 of the 288 seats, 13 seats short of majority. In that case, the BJP's options would include mending fences with former ally Shiv Sena, or weighing a new alliance with the NCP.
The Shiv Sena, which exit polls say could be the second largest party in Maharashtra, hinted on Saturday that it is open to mending fences with the BJP. The two parties, allies for 25 years, had split days before voting over seat-sharing.
The other two parties that split - the Congress and the NCP - which have together ruled Maharashtra for 15 years - are expected to be punished today.
The Congress faces demolition. Exit polls give it a poor third place in both Maharashtra and Haryana. In Haryana, that could mean that it is not even in with a chance to be the main opposition party, with OP Chautala's INLD forecast to be second to the BJP with substantially more seats.
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