BJP projected to have edge in Maharashtra, Jharkhand

MUMBAI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party and its allies are projected to have an edge in two crucial state elections, according to TV exit polls on Wednesday, in an apparent boost for him after a disappointing general election.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies had more seats than their opponents and were likely to win the majority in elections to the state assemblies of India’s richest state of Maharashtra as well as mineral-rich Jharkhand.

The BJP currently rules Maharashtra but is in the opposition in Jharkhand. Voting for state legislatures concluded today and votes will be counted on Saturday.

Exit polls, conducted by private polling firms including TV broadcasters, have a patchy record in India, where electoral outcomes are difficult to predict due to the country’s large and diverse voting population.

Modi lost his majority in parliamentary elections held between April-June earlier this year and had to depend on fickle allies to form a government. His party won state elections in the northern state of Haryana last month, an unexpected boost to his party.

Political parties in both states have rolled out a range of measures that they say will benefit farmers and women, both critical voting blocks.