TOI
New Delhi, Dec 8: Counting of votes began on Monday for the just-held assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram -- being seen as the 'semi-final' before the Lok Sabha polls.
Congress has marched ahead in Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram and is giving a tough fight to the BJP in Chhattisgarh, while the saffron party has taken early leads in Madhya Pradesh.
This sums up the picture of early trends at 1000 hours as counting progressed in five states where the assembly polls were held.
The first result went in favour of former Mizoram chief minister Lalthanwala of Congress when he won the South Tui Pui seat by a slender margin of 96 votes.
In Rajasthan, the Vasundhara Raje government appears in for trouble with Congress way ahead in 83 seats as against 49 by the ruling BJP while 'others' in 18 in the 200-member assembly.
For BJP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan ruled Madhya Pradesh is offering a hope with the party ahead in 65 seats as against 36 of the Congress and 13 others. Madhya Pradesh assembly has an effective strength of 230.
A close tussle is being witnessed in Chhatisgarh with BJP leading in 39 seats as against 20 by the Congress while others are ahead in two seats in the 90-member assembly.
In Delhi, Shiela Dikshit-led Congress was ahead in 30 seats as against BJP's 23 in the 70-member assembly, of which elections were held for 69. Mayawati-led BSP and Ramvilas Paswan's LJP are leading in two seats each and an independent in one seat.
In Mizoram, Congress is ahead in five seats and the MNF in three in the 40-member house.
Most of the states where the counting is being held are those where Congress and the BJP are major contenders for power and the outcome may help gauge the voter mood ahead of the General elections due early next year although issues involved would be different.
The final results are expected to be out by the evening. The fate of stalwarts like Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Bharatiya Janashakti chief Uma Bharti would be decided in Madhya Pradesh which witnessed 60 per cent turnout during elections to the 230-member Assembly on November 27.
The poll outcome in Chattisgarh would decide whether the BJP led by Chief Minister Raman Singh would retain power. Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi spearheaded the campaign for Congress in the state, where two-phased polls for 90 seats were held on November 14 and 20.
In the national capital, Sheila Dikshit is seeking a hat-trick for her and the Congress while the BJP is hoping to wrest power on anti-incumbency factor. Delhi, with a 70-member House, went to polls on November 29.
BJP's Vasundhara Raje faces a test to retain power in Rajasthan, where elections to the 200-member assembly held on December 4 saw nearly 68 per cent turnout.
In Mizoram, where polling for the 40-member House was held on November 29, ruling Mizo National Front, opposition Congress and the United Democratic Alliance are locking horns.