Intense Electoral Battles Unfold in Indian States: Live Updates

Indian states witness fierce electoral battles with AIADMK, DMK, and Vijay's TVK vying for seats in Tamil Nadu, while Kerala sees a UDF vs. LDF showdown. In West Bengal, BJP and TMC contest closely. Assam shows early NDA dominance. Real-time counting updates continue.

In Tamil Nadu, an intense three-way electoral battle is unfolding, with the AIADMK-led alliance taking the lead in 23 seats. Newcomer Vijay's TVK is gaining traction, leading in 15 seats, while the DMK-led coalition leads in 13 seats, as per the Election Commission of India. However, news networks depict Vijay's TVK making significant strides, showing leads in 90 seats compared to DMK's 53 and AIADMK's 63.

Kerala's electoral race sees the United Democratic Front (UDF) establishing a strong lead over the Left Democratic Front (LDF), with UDF leading in 52 seats and Congress securing 49. Contrary to official reports, news channels show the UDF crossing the halfway mark with early leads in 85 seats.

In West Bengal, the BJP and the TMC are in a neck-and-neck contest. Official data shows BJP leading in 16 seats versus TMC's two, while news channel reports highlight 130 leads for BJP against TMC's 110. As for Assam, the NDA claims an early comfortable lead, leading in 40 seats with BJP at 32. Himanta Biswa Sarma is on track to return as Chief Minister with BJP leading in 85 seats, reflecting in news network data.

Across 823 constituencies, counting is underway in regions including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, beginning with postal ballots and progressing to Electronic Voting Machine results. Updates are accessible on the ECINET and Election Commission portal.

Enhanced security measures are in place at counting centers, with armored patrolling in West Bengal's Malda and secure openings for counting in Keralam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. Amidst this, a confrontation erupted between TMC and BJP polling agents, each accusing the other of procedural discrepancies around identification and access.

Exit polls in West Bengal indicate a tightly contested race between BJP and TMC, with varied projections on potential outcomes. Notably, West Bengal achieved a record voter turnout of 91.66% in Phase-II of elections, with a cumulative 92.47% over both phases.