Lok Sabha election results 2024: INDIA bloc will win 295 LS seats, says Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File Pic

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said the INDIA alliance has surpassed the numbers predicted by the exit polls and claimed the opposition bloc will win 295 Lok Sabha seats, reported news agency PTI,

Lok Sabha election results 2024: 'Congress is now poised to bag 150 seats'

Speaking to reporters, Raut said the Congress, which barely got 50 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, is now poised to bag 150 seats.

Counting of votes was underway across the country on Tuesday for polls to the 543-member Lok Sabha.

"The picture is that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will be ahead in Maharashtra and the INDIA alliance will win 295 (seats in the country)," Raut claimed, reported PTI.

Lok Sabha election results 2024: 'INDIA alliance has crossed the figures predicted by the exit polls'

"The INDIA alliance has crossed the figures predicted by the exit polls and sprinted ahead. It will cross 295 seats," the Rajya Sabha member added, reported PTI.

The Congress-led INDIA bloc was leading in 200 seats in the early trends, a performance that appeared much better than what was predicted in the exit polls.

Lok Sabha election results 2024: Counting of votes began at 8 am

Around 642 million people voted in Lok Sabha elections held over seven phases in a mammoth six-week period. The counting of votes began at 8 am starting with postal ballot papers amid tight security

The counting for State Legislative Assemblies of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies also began.

Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general election.

With counting began for the Lok Sabha elections, which have seen the largest voter participation, the electoral fate of several leaders across the political spectrum will be decided.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are among the senior BJP leaders in the fray.

Key opposition leaders, including former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, NCP's Supriya Sule, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, are also contesting the poll.

Two polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is eyeing a third straight term in power, while the Opposition under the umbrella of the INDIA bloc is seeking to wrest power from the ruling party.

(With inputs from PTI)