The NDA now leads in 290 seats compared to 235 for the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A bloc. The final tally which may take till midnight to be officially announced is not going to be very different from the leads announced till now, as most seats are being won by huge margins. 

Mapping Victory In The Past 15 Years

The most significant setback has been to the BJP in the Hindi heartland. The BJP-led NDA is leading in 35 seats in Uttar Pradesh, opposed to the Congress-Samajwadi Party's 44. Another big upset was in West Bengal where BJP had believed it would manage to recoup losses. Trinamool Congress came out as the party bagging the most seats with 29 seats as against BJP's dozen, down from its earlier tally of 28 secured in 2019.

Results Overturn Exit Poll Forecasts

The BJP's decisive win in 2014 marked the first time in 30 years that a single party achieved a majority on its own. This strength once again increased in 2019, with the party hoping to achieve the same feat this year.  

The results are also in contrast to a majority of exit polls that anticipated a landslide victory for the BJP. Forecast of state-wise results by mainstream television channels also seems to have gone awry.   

Despite the narrowed margin, an NDA ministry is set to be sworn in again on a hat-trick. It remains to be seen how a stronger opposition makes its presence in the years to come. What, however, is not in doubt is that the 'India Story' will continue to flourish and a consensus on issues of economic importance, including reforms, for the country will remain intact. 

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