BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was set to win from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat by a huge margin.
Modi took an unassailable lead of 1.5 lakh votes over his closest rival, Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
In the votes counted so far, Modi got over 2.32 lakh votes against Kejriwal (over 68,000), Vijay Prakash Jaiswal of the Bahujan Samaj Party (over 28,000) and Ajay Rai of the Congress was at a poor fourth with over 25,000 votes.
Kailash Chaurasiya of the Samajwadi Party was at the fifth position with just over 20,000 votes.
BJP supporters and workers celebrated and burst crackers on the roads.
Modi is expected to come to the temple town Saturday for a thanksgiving trip and will also take part in the Ganga Aarti, permission for which was denied when he wanted to do so May 10.
Modi won from Vadodara in Gujarat, which was the second constituency from where he contested, by over four lakh votes.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app