India PM's party leads in testing state polls
BJP was leading in 110 seats in Maharashtra and was ahead in 50 of the 90 seats in Haryana.
MUMBAI (AFP) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi s right-wing party was expected to snatch victory in two Indian states, early poll results showed Sunday, tightening its grip on power after storming to government nationally in May.
Officials began counting tens of millions of ballots at 8:00 am (0230 GMT) in the western state of Maharashtra, of which financial and entertainment hub Mumbai is the capital, and Haryana in the north, bordering New Delhi.
Modi s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was leading in 110 seats in Maharashtra in tallies shown on the election commission s website, while its rival left-centre Congress party was trailing with 42 in the 288-seat state assembly.
In Haryana, the BJP was ahead in 50 of the 90 seats up for grabs, while Congress looked headed for defeat after 10 years in power there, leading in just 13.
Modi won a landslide national victory five months ago on a pledge to revive the flagging economy and clean up endemic corruption, but many of his promised reforms have not yet been introduced.
Victory on Sunday for Modi, who campaigned doggedly for the polls held last week, is likely to encourage the nationalist leader to push ahead with his economic reforms, some of which could prove unpopular.
In Mumbai, celebrating BJP supporters showered state president Devendra Fadnavis with flower petals and shouted "long live mother India" as he arrived at the party s headquarters.
"We are confident we will form the government on our own, get a full majority," Fadnavis told reporters.
"Let us wait for emerging trends and final results which are still changing. Some (television) channels are showing 120 (seats for the BJP in Maharashtra), others are showing 145," he said.
The BJP was seen benefitting from anger and fatigue towards Congress, which was kicked out of central government in May and has held power in Maharashtra for 15 years.
The BJP has taken a gamble on its popularity and is campaigning alone in both states after severing ties with its allies, including the far-right Shiv Sena, its partner in Maharashtra for 25 years.
Blow for Congress
Success for the BJP would also strengthen its power in the national parliament s upper house, crucial for the passing of contentious laws. The BJP currently lacks a majority in that chamber whose composition is based on seats won in regional assemblies.
Despite the likely wins, the BJP could still need partners to form a majority of 145 seats or more in Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena was leading in 53 seats there, with the BJP s Fadnavis hinting Sunday that their acrimonious bust up before the election may by mended.
"Shiv Sena is not an enemy. Not even opposition. We are just hurt by the language and the comments made," he said.
The once all-powerful Congress, whose Gandhi dynasty has produced three prime ministers since India s independence, is set to suffer yet another crippling blow.
"Early trends have indicated that results are not in our favour. There was considerable anti-incumbency factor (against us)," senior Congress leader Rajiv Shukla told the CNN-IBN network.
