It looks, I was slightly more optimistic than what I should have been. But, not much.
One may still find it relevant.
The final results are yet to come.
But, the trend is clear.
That, however, will not deter this guy from leaving no proverbial stone unturned.
And, given the configuration, he won't even have to try too hard. But, doubtlessly, the 56" has shrunk.
Given the hugely tilted nature of the "field" with the ECI -- the ostensible umpire -- playing on the side of the party in power and the Supreme Court refusing to move its little finger, this was, in effect, actually a "rigged" election. But, definitely, not the way the habitual EVM-baiters would like us to believe.
Yet, in two major states, viz. Tamil Nadu and Punjab, the BJP failed to open its account. Has suffered a surprising and humiliating drubbing in the most populous state of UP. On the flip side, it is out to sweep Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal. Nearly so Chhattisgarh. Has done surprisingly well in Odisha, Telangana and, to an extent, Karnataka. Is out to open an account in Kerala by putting up a popular movie star.
In sum, this contest has thrown up a hero and that is, no doubt, Rahul Gandhi. His valiant and imaginative strides could convert a would-be walkover into a serious contest. But, even harder tests lie ahead. Modi, back in power, would only further intensify his drive to make India a truly "Opposition-Mukt Democracy", a la Putin.
So, it remains to be seen whether this Gandhi, spearheading organised resistance, can emerge a victorious hero like his way more illustrious namesake or is destined to become only a tragic hero or just an aberrant footnote in a tragic history.
Status at 16:45 hrs.*
Bharatiya Janata Party - BJP | 19 | 225 | 244 |
Indian National Congress - INC | 4 | 93 | 97 |
Janata Dal (Secular) - JD(S) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackrey) - SHSUBT | 1 | 8 | 9 |
Aam Aadmi Party - AAAP | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) - HAMS | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Samajwadi Party - SP | 0 | 34 | 34 |
All India Trinamool Congress - AITC | 0 | 29 | 29 |
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - DMK | 0 | 22 | 22 |
Telugu Desam - TDP | 0 | 16 | 16 |
Janata Dal (United) - JD(U) | 0 | 14 | 14 |
Shiv Sena - SHS | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar - NCPSP | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Lok Janshakti Party(Ram Vilas) - LJPRV | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party - YSRCP | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Rashtriya Janata Dal - RJD | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI(M) | 0 | 4 | 4 |
Indian Union Muslim League - IUML | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha - JMM | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Janasena Party - JnP | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) - CPI(ML)(L) | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi - VCK | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Communist Party of India - CPI | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Rashtriya Lok Dal - RLD | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Jammu & Kashmir National Conference - JKN | 0 | 2 | 2 |
United People’s Party, Liberal - UPPL | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Asom Gana Parishad - AGP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Kerala Congress - KEC | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Revolutionary Socialist Party - RSP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Nationalist Congress Party - NCP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Voice of the People Party - VOTPP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Zoram People’s Movement - ZPM | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Biju Janata Dal - BJD | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Shiromani Akali Dal - SAD | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party - RLTP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Bharat Adivasi Party - BHRTADVSIP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha - SKM | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - MDMK | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) - ASPKR | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Apna Dal (Soneylal) - ADAL | 0 | 1 | 1 |
AJSU Party - AJSUP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen - AIMIM | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Independent - IND | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Total | 28 | 515 | 543 |
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The status has, in the meanwhile, marginally changed. BJP: 240 and Congress: 98.
In terms of vote share, Cong: 22% and BJP: 37% (same as on the previous occasion).
Sukla