UPA is set to return to power with about 250 seats, according to TV projections based on leads in 491 out of 543 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Projections: UPA is set to win 250 of 491 seats

Press Trust of India

&nbsp;Congress established an early lead in 20 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan while BJP was ahead in rest of the five constituencies.

Rajasthan: Congress leads in 20 seats. BJP in 5

The CPI today ruled out supporting a Congress-led government, saying it will sit in opposition if the people's mandate was not for forming a non-BJP, non-Congress government at the Centre.

CPI says will not support Cong-led Govt

BJP is leading in six seats, Congress in four and MahaGujarat Janta Party (MJP) in one after the first round of counting in 11 of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat.

Gujarat: BJP leading in 6 seats

Sonia Gandhi, Varun Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and Pranab Mukherjee are all leading by substantial margins in their respective constituencies, according to the Election Commission.

Sonia, Pranab, Varun, Mamata leading with big margins

Ruling SAD-BJP alliance was leading in eight of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab where counting commenced this morning.&nbsp;SAD was leading in six constituencies of Faridkot, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Khadoor Sahab, Bhatinda and Ferozepur while its alliance partner BJP was ahead in Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur.

SAD-BJP alliance leads in eight constituencies

Ruling BJD in Orissa surged ahead of other parties as trends were available in the elections to the 147-member state assembly today with its candidates leading in at least 65 constituencies.

Orissa assembly polls: Ruling BJD surges ahead

With trends signalling a decisive edge to the UPA, an upbeat Congress today claimed that it would sweep the elections and hinted at expanding the UPA by including &quot;more secular parties&quot;.

Congress confident of a sweep; hints at widening UPA

The ruling Congress has established early leads in three of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, counting for which began this morning.

Cong leads in three Assam LS seats

The Congress today suffered a jolt in its bid for wresting power from the Sikkim Democratic Front led by Pawan Kumar Chamling after its state unit President Nar Bahadur Bhandari lost to SDF rival Am Prasad Sharma by 1266 votes from Khamdong-Singtam assembly constituency.

Bhandari loses in Khamdong-Singtam assembly constituency

Ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress coalition are leading in five parliamentary constituencies, while Independent candidate Hassan Khan is leading in Ladakh Lok Sabha seats.

NC leads in three Lok Sabha seats, Congress in two in J-K

RJD president Lalu Prasad is leading from Saran, while his ally LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan is trailing from Hajipur, as Bihar's ruling NDA appears set for major gains with JD(U) and BJP together leading in 20 of 25 seats trends of which are available so far.

Lalu leads, Paswan trails as NDA appears set for major gains

As results of the Lok Sabha elections poured in, the website of the Election Commission of India today touched a massive one lakh hits per second, slowing it down for a while.

EC website slows down amid huge traffic

Congress' debutant candidate, P M Hamdulla wrested the lone Lakshadweep parliamentary constituency from sitting MP Dr Pookunji Koya of the NCP by a margin of 2,198 votes.

Congress wrest Lakshadweep

BJP established an early lead in all the four parliamentary seats in Himachal Pradesh.

BJP ahead on all four seats in HP

Virtually conceding defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP today said the trends were &quot;disappointing&quot; and not on expected lines.

BJP virtually concedes defeat

&nbsp;The ruling DMK appeared to be doing well in the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu establishing early leads in most of the 21 seats it contested but its key ally Congress was fairing badly while the AIADMK led front was ahead in nine constituencies as per latest trends.

LD TRENDS DMK ahead in TN, ally Congress fares badly

The Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance surged ahead of the CPI-M-led Left Front in West Bengal, leading in 23 of the 36 Lok Sabha constituencies for which trends were available till 1030 hours.

Trinamool-Congress alliance ahead of Left in West Bengal

BJP was leading in three of the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh while Congress' Virbhadra Singh was ahead in the Mandi constituency.

Himachal Pradesh: BJP leads in 3, Cong in 1

Maintaining its initial leads, the ruling BJP in Karnataka was racing ahead in 16 of the 28 constituencies followed by Congress in nine and JDS in three seats.

Karnataka: BJP leads in 16 constituencies

The BJP was leading in four of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand while three Independent candidates, including former Chief Ministers Madhu Koda and Babulal Marandi, had also forged ahead as per early trends available here today.

Jharkhand: BJP leads in 4, three independents also ahead

Assembly Election 2026 News: Check Latest News on Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly Election Poll at  Business Standard

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