As the counting of votes for all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections is set to begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, stringent security measures have been put in place across all counting centers. The counting process will start with the tallying of postal ballots and will continue until the final results are prepared.
Many experts predict that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will secure a third consecutive term, making it a major topic of discussion. If he wins another term, PM Modi will join the ranks of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as the only leader to be elected for three consecutive terms.
The exit polls have also predicted a strong performance by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a setback for the opposition’s INDIA bloc. Most polls indicate that the BJP-led NDA will secure around 350-370 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, while the INDIA bloc is expected to lag behind with 107-140 seats. Some exit polls, such as India Today-My Axis India, India TV-CNX, and News24-Todays Chanakya, have even forecasted over 400 seats for the NDA.
The BJP is also expected to make significant gains in Congress-governed Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, according to various exit polls released on Saturday evening after the conclusion of the final phase of polling.
While PM Modi and the BJP are confident of securing a historic victory, the opposition parties are claiming that the INDIA bloc will come out on top with over 295 seats. As the counting agents of both sides closely watch over the vote counting process, all eyes are on the final results that will determine the fate of India’s leadership for the next five years.
