Vote counting in key Indian state elections was underway Monday under tight security, with the focus on West Bengal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party is hoping for crucial gains.
Elections in five states and territories took place in April and May, and Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party in the national parliament, is hoping to make inroads into opposition-held states.
kAmx? (6DE q6?82=[ E96 w:?5F\?2E:@?2=:DE qy! H2865 2? 288C6DD:G6 3:5 E@ 5:D=@586 r9:67 |:?:DE6C |2>2E2 q2?6C;66[ E96 7:C63C2?5 =6256C @7 E96 p== x?5:2 %C:?2>@@= r@?8C6DD W%|rX[ :? A@H6C :? E96 DE2E6 @7 `__ >:==:@? A6@A=6 D:?46 a_``]k^Am
kAmtI:E A@==D =2DE H66< AC65:4E65 E96 qy! 92D 2 D=:89E 6586 @G6C %|r[ 2=E9@F89 6I:E A@==D 92G6 2 A2E49J C64@C5 :? x?5:2]k^Am
kAmQ%96 6?E:C6 4@F?ECJ 92D :ED 6J6D @? E9:D DE2E6VD 6=64E:@? C6DF=ED[Q A@=:E:42= 2?2=JDE q:DH2?2E9 r92<C23@CEJ E@=5 pu![ :? E96 >2:? 4:EJ z@=<2E2] Q%96 4@?E6DE 42? E:=E E96 32=2?46 @7 A@H6C]Qk^Am
kAm%96 42>A2:8? E9:D E:>6 H2D >2C<65 3J AC@E6DED @G6C E96 C6>@G2= @7 >:==:@?D @7 ?2>6D 7C@> G@E6C C@==D[ 3:==65 2D C6>@G:?8 :?6=:8:3=6 G@E6CD[ 3FE H9:49 4C:E:4D D2:5 H2D D<6H65 282:?DE >2C8:?2=:D65 2?5 >:?@C:EJ 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am
kAmq2?6C;66[ DA62<:?8 29625 @7 E96 4@F?E[ :?D:DE65 96C %|r H@F=5 H:?]Â k^Am
kAmQ%96 qy! :D ?@E 4@>:?8[ E2<6 >J H@C5 7@C :E[Q D96 D2:5] Qq6 A2E:6?E E:== E96 =2DE]Qk^Am
kAmqFE (6DE q6?82=VD qy! 49:67 $2>:< q92EE2492CJ2 E@=5 pu! 96 H2D 4@?7:56?E @7 2 H:?]k^Am
kAmQxE H2D 2? 6=64E:@? @7 C6;64E:@?[Q 96 D2:5] Q!6@A=6 @7 E96 DE2E6 H2?E 492?86]Â %96 CF=:?8 %C:?2>@@= r@?8C6DD H:== 36 56762E65]Qk^Am
kAm!2DE 6=64E:@?D 92G6 C6DF=E65 :? G:@=6?46 :? E96 DE2E6]k^Am
kAmx? E96 D@FE96C? DE2E6 @7 %2>:= }25F[ 2 <6J :?5FDEC:2= 9F3 H:E9 >@C6 E92? g_ >:==:@? A6@A=6[ E96 CF=:?8 sC2G:52 |F??6EC2 z2K9282> Ws|zX F?56C r9:67 |:?:DE6C |z $E2=:? :D H:56=J 6IA64E65 E@ 36 C6\6=64E65]k^Am
kAm'@E6D 2C6 2=D@ 36:?8 4@F?E65 :? pDD2>[ 2? 62DE6C? DE2E6 @7 >@C6 E92? b` >:==:@? H9:49 E96 qy! :D H:56=J 6IA64E65 E@ >2:?E2:? 4@?EC@= @7[ 2?5 E96 D>2== 4@2DE2= E6CC:E@CJ @7 !F5F496CCJ[ H96C6 E96 qy! :D A2CE @7 2 CF=:?8 4@2=:E:@?]k^Am
kAmx? z6C2=2[ E96 E:89E=J 4@?E6DE65 C246 :? E96 D@FE96C? DE2E6 @7 2AAC@I:>2E6=J be >:==:@?[ 6I:E A@==D DF886DE E96 r@?8C6DD A2CEJ\=65 2==:2?46 :D E:AA65 E@ @FDE E96 r@>>F?:DE A2CEJ]k^Am
kAm(:?D :? E96 DE2E6 6=64E:@?D H@F=5 AFE |@5: @? 2 DEC@?86C 7@@E:?8 H9:=6 32EE=:?8 2 D6C:6D @7 64@?@>:4 2?5 7@C6:8? A@=:4J 492==6?86D[ :?4=F5:?8 9:89 F?6>A=@J>6?E C2E6 2?5 2 A6?5:?8 &$ EC256 562=]k^Am
kAmDEC\2D9^A;>^>EAk^Am
