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Five elections were held as India was hit by a massive surge in Covid cases.
The counting of votes for the Assembly elections began in the four states- Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Union Territory of Puducherry adhering to Covid-19 protocols.
While Assam and West Bengal saw multiple phases of polling, electors in Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu cast their votes in a single phase on April 6.
Watch live coverage of Assembly election results with DDNews.#Janadesh #ResultsWithDDnews #AssemblyElections2021 https://t.co/R1jeNtFEZE
— DD News (@DDNewslive) May 2, 2021
The election results are seen as an early test of the impact the devastating second wave of the pandemic is having on support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his right-wing BJP party.
Over 1,000 count observers will conduct the process with everyone expected to produce a negative Covid-19 test report or show they have been fully vaccinated.
Here are the latest updates:
Tamil Nadu: Stalin, Palaniswami lead
DMK’s MK Stalin is leading in his constituency Kolathur and AIADMK’s Edappadi Palaniswami is leading from Edappadi seat. BJP state chief L Murugan is leading in Dharapuram.
Kerala: LDF leads in 80, UDF in 57, NDA in 3 seats
After the first round of counting in Kerala assembly election, LDF was leading in 80 seats, UDF in 57 and NDA in 3.
Official trends for #KeralaElections2021 | Communist Party of India (Marxist) leading in Kongad of Palakkad district. pic.twitter.com/ChlpYiV2wk
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee ahead in Nandigram
Early trends show West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is ahead of BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in her stronghold of Nandigram.
Official trends for #WestBengalElections | TMC leading on one seat. pic.twitter.com/cP6dmtW6xA
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
West Bengal: TMC leading in 58 seats
The ruling Trinamool Congress is ahead in 58 of the total 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal. Whereas, the BJP is giving a tough contest to Mamata Banerjee-led TMC after leading in 55 seats.
West Bengal: TMC takes lead
Postal ballot counting in underway in West Bengal. The TMC is leading in 55 seats while the BJP is ahead in 52. Left and the Congress along with ISF are leading in 3 seats.
West Bengal: Counting agent falls unconscious, taken to hospital
A counting agent of Congress candidate from Panihati (North 24 Parganas), Tapas Majumder, was taken to a hospital after he fell unconscious.
West Bengal: Gopal Som, a counting agent of Congress candidate from Panihati (North 24 Parganas), Tapas Majumder, was taken to a hospital after he fell unconscious at the counting centre. pic.twitter.com/uCpeJxuF11
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
Kerala: ‘Metro man’ E Sreedharan leading in Palakkad
Metro Man E Sreedharan leads in Palakkad with 1,000 votes, according to initial trends. Widow of late Marxist renegade K Rema establishes clear lead in Vadakara.
Kerala: LDF leads as initial trends
Intial trends in Kerala show that of the 87 constituencies, the ruling Left leads in 50 seats, when counting of postal votes were taken up first at 8am on Sunday.
The Congress-led UDF leads in 36 and the BJP on one seat.
Looking back at previous elections, it’s always the Left which has the edge when it comes to postal ballots.
Intial trends in #Kerala show that of the 87 constituencies, the ruling Left leads in 50 seats, when counting of postal votes were taken up first at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
The #Congress-led UDF leads in 36 and the #BJP on one seat.
Photo: IANS (File) pic.twitter.com/dWxLWYXPYK
— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) May 2, 2021
Voting took place in the state on April 6 to elect 140 legislators to the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.
The ruling Pinarayi Vijayan government has been touted to win the polls by all the exit polls, which have been dismissed by the Congress-led Opposition.
West Bengal: Early trends in, BJP leads in 3 seats, TMC in 1
Early trends in the West Bengal elections showed the BJP leading in 3 seats and the TMC in 1.
West Bengal: Visuals from a counting centre in Haldia of East Midnapore
Counting of votes for #WestBengalPolls is underway. Visuals from a counting centre in Haldia of East Midnapore where votes in Haldia, Mahishadal and Nandigram are being counted.
TMC leader and CM Mamata Banerjee had contested against BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram. pic.twitter.com/Z7T7mJhw7E
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
DMK takes early lead in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu as well, early leads have also started trickling in. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) currently leads in five seats, while the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is ahead in one seat.
Counting of votes start in Kerala: Visuals from Idukki
Kerala: Counting of votes for the #AssemblyElections2021 to the 4 states and 1 union territory has begun. Visuals from Idukki where counting of postal ballots is underway. pic.twitter.com/sa79GEqKPY
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
Counting of votes starts in Assam
The counting of votes for 126 assembly seats in Assam for which polling was held in three phases began on Sunday in 34 districts amid tight security measures and all Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), officials said.
According to the election officials, around 82.4 per cent of the 2, 33,74,087-strong electorate including 1,15,50,403 women cast their votes in the three phase election to the 126-member Assam Assembly.This year’s voting percentage is 2.59 per cent less than in the 2016 elections, where 84.63 per cent of the 1,99,90,755-strong electorate had exercised their franchise.
Counting of votes for Tamil Nadu Assembly begins
Counting of votes for the Tamil Nadu assembly and the bypoll for the Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha seat began at 8 a.m on Sunday. A total of 3,998 candidates are in the fray for the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly.
As per the Election Commission of India, 72.81 per cent of the 6.29 crore voters cast their votes in the polls held on April 6.
Apart from the Assembly election results, the bypoll result for the Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha constituency will also be announced.
Uttar Pradesh: Visuals from Prayagraj
Counting of votes has begun for #UPPanchayatElection2021. Visuals from Prayagraj. pic.twitter.com/yv1Ej3EVMg
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 2, 2021
Counting of votes for begin
Counting of votes for #AssemblyElections2021 begins. Votes being counted across Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/vBUGNP0R5Q
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
Assam: Visuals from outside a counting centre in Guwahati.
Assam: Counting of votes for #AssemblyElections2021 to be held today. Visuals from outside a counting centre at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre in Guwahati. pic.twitter.com/J87eLC1JPi
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
Visuals from a counting centre in West Bengal
West Bengal: Officials, counting agents and others arrive at a counting centre at Siliguri College in Siliguri. Counting of votes for #AssemblyElections2021 to begin shortly. pic.twitter.com/RaZQKf2Ebo
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
Visuals from a counting centre in Kolkata
Counting of votes for #AssemblyElections2021 to begin shortly. Visuals from a counting centre at St Thomas’ Boys’ School in Kolkata. #WestBengalPolls pic.twitter.com/xPJynunp7D
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2021
Puducherry: Will BJP be part of the next government?
With opinion survey and exit polls predicting a victory for the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Puducherry, will the BJP be part of the next government in Puducherry, a land of Tamil speakers will be known soon.
The BJP has been finding it difficult to make a mark in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry all these years. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Puducherry consists of All India N.R. Congress (contesting in 16 seats), BJP (9) and AIADMK (5).
The NDA’s rival for the 30-member Assembly is the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) consisting of Congress (14 seats), DMK (13), CPI (1), VCK (1) and an Independent (1).
Kerala: Ahead of counting, Pinarayi Vijayan ‘in pole position’
With minutes left for opening the ballot boxes, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, according to several exit polls results, is in a pole position, as not a single one has said the Congress-led UDF will win.
If this turns out to be true, Vijayan will go down in the history of Kerala as the first to lead a sitting government back to office, and since the last four days, that is the only thing one has heard the Left leaders including Vijayan saying time and again.
The Congress-led Opposition, however, has shot it down as nothing but wishful thinking, claiming they are going to form the next government.
While hitherto the average number of postal ballots in a constituency stood around 500, this time it has gone up to as high as 4,000 votes because above aged 80 voters was allowed this facility and this time there were more number of election officials.
This is because, this time there is going to be close to five lakh postal ballots which will have to first counted physically, before the EVMs are opened.
On Sunday morning the acting secretary of the CPI-M and also the Left Democratic Front convenor – A. Vijayaraghavan had no doubts when the media caught up when he was out in the roads to take a stroll.
“None of us have a doubt on what on what the outcome is going to be as the people of Kerala experienced a government that did its work. The Congress tried their best to distract the people by levelling various allegations, which had no sum or substance,” said Vijayaraghavan.
Unlike his normal behaviour, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala who reached his home town at Haripad in Alappuzha, failed to say a word to the waiting media.
This act of Chennithala sent tongues wagging that Chennithala is angry.
Two-time former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, as is the norm every Sunday, was spotted at his home parish Church at Puthupally in Kottayam district busy in his prayers.
Chandy also when asked did not say a word on what the outcome is going to be and he was more worried of maintaining Covid protocols as that was the norm to be observed on counting day.
Two State Ministers Kadakampally Surendran and J. Mercykutty had no doubt in the outcome as both expressed absolute confidence that not only will they both win, but the Left will create electoral history.
With Covid pandemic spreading like wildfire in Kerala and the most parts of the country, all sorts of crowding in and around the counting centres has been banned and only the officials and the candidates representative are only allowed and each of them have to come with a Covid negative certificate.
Meanwhile, this time there would be no live online updates as in the past and one will have to wait to hear from the Election Commission which is expected to take place every 30 minutes after every round of counting of votes is over and the first trend is expected around 8.30 a.m.
Among the various exit polls, two of them have said the Left will win as high as 120 seats with 75 the least, while not a single one has predicted the Congress-led UDF will win.
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