Himachal Pradesh Assembly election result LIVE: PM Modi can be seen with PK Dhumal
Here are LIVE updates of the Himachal Pradesh election result 2017:
Five BJP candidates have claimed victory in their respective assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh, including Suresh Bharadwaj who was contesting from Shimla. Mr Bharadwaj has been elected thrice from the constituency before.Two Congress candidates have been declared winners thus far.
After running a high-pitched campaign, BJP is likely to claim victory in over 40 assembly constituencies in the state as trends suggest.
BJP Leaders Celebrate Poll Trends
As trends suggested victory for BJP in Himachal Pradesh and Congress, BJP leaders hailed the win.
- People have rejected divisive politics of Congress, this win is due to the dynamic leadership of BJP and the hard work of BJP workers: Uttrar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
- It is a matter of happiness for us. This is the victory of development. Jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work & the people who trusted development: Union Minister Smriti Irani
- There was only corruption during congress tenure. This has ended now. Congress Policy- 'Jhooth bolo, par zor se bolo' (Lie loudly): HRD minister Prakash Javadekar
Current Trends: BJP is poised to claim big win in Himachal Pradesh as it maintains lead in 45 seats. The ruling Congress is ahead in just 19 of 68 seats. The BJP workers in Himachal have been celebrating the lead over the rival grand old party.
Rahul Gandhi Has Accepted Responsibility As Congress President, Says Shiv Sena
BJP ally Shiv Sena today heaped praises on newly elected Congress President Rahul Gandhi while BJP struggled to win 150 plus seats in Gujarat today as earlier claimed by the party.
"Rahul Gandhi has accepted the responsibility as Congress president at a crucial stage. There should be no objection in wishing him all the best," said an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
"Let Rahul Gandhi decide if he wishes to take the Congress party to the pinnacle of success or down the pit," the Marathi daily said.
Current Leads: BJP is leading in 46 seats and Congress is ahead in 20. Two hours after the counting of votes began today, stock markets stabilised a bit after a crash earlier on as available leads showed the BJP having an upper hand in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls, news agency PTI reported.
Poll Trends Indicate PM Modi's Popularity Intact: BJP
Counting is underway in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat today and BJP is leading in majority of seats in both the states. The poll trends have suggested PM Narendra Modi's popularity is intact, BJP asserted today.
"We have set a record in the history of the BJP by winning six consecutive polls: four assembly and two general elections.
"Anti-incumbency is not working there. The prime minister's popularity is intact. Amit Shah's strategy has worked," BJP vice president Shyam Jaju was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.
The saffron party, however, said it would analyse the trends in detail later.
After trailing all day, BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Himachal Pradesh, PK Dhumal, is finally leading with 4,000 votes at the end of 11 out of 14 rounds.
Current Leads: The BJP is leading in 45 of 68 assembly seats, while Congress is ahead in 20 seats. Earlier in the day, as he arrived in parliament, Union Minister Rajnath Singh said, "We will get majority in both the states and form government." 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flashed a victory sign after he arrived in parliament this morning as leads suggested victory for the BJP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The parliament reconvened today after a weekend break. 
"As per the latest trends, BJP is going to have a landslide victory. People have voted for change from the corrupt Congress government," Anurag Thakur, BJP parliamentarian and son of the party's Chief Ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal said today as BJP leads in majority of seats in Himachal Pradesh.Current Leads: BJP is set to win Himachal Pradesh as it is leads in 46 assembly constituencies. Congress is leading in just 18 of 68 assembly seats.
Current Leads: The BJP is leading in 45 seats in Himachal Pradesh while Congress is ahead in 19 assembly constituencies. Meanwhile BJP workers have already started celebrating as the party is maintaining a comfortable lead, both in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
Delhi: Party workers celebrate at party HQ, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh #GujaratVerdict#HimachalPradeshElections2017pic.twitter.com/BDJxPcB6hN
- ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
Current Leads: BJP is inching closer to victory in Himachal Pradesh as it leads in 45 out of 68 assembly seats. The ruling Congress, meanwhile, is leading in just 19 seats. The state has been alternating between the Congress and the BJP since 1985.
The state has been alternating between the BJP and Congress since 1985. Going by the trend, this time it appears to be the turn of the BJP which is upbeat after the exit polls predicted a victory for the saffron party. The BJP ousted the Congress in 1990 and the Congress avenged defeat in 1993, according to a PTI report. The BJP formed the government with the help of Himachal Vikas Congress in 1998 and the Congress was back in power in 2003. The BJP made a comeback in 2007. Meanwhile, BJP workers are in a mood of celebration with victory close in sight.
Current Leads: BJP is leading in 44 seats, Congress is ahead in 21 seats. The results for the 2017 Himachal Pradesh election are likely to be declared by noon. As of now, BJP is maintaining a comfortable lead over the rival grand old party.
BJP is now maintaining a constant lead in Himachal Pradesh, however, in Sujanpur, where the chief ministerial candidate PK Dhumal is representing the BJP, Rajinder Singh, an independent candidate, is leading.
Current Leads: BJP is currently leading in 43 assembly constituencies while Congress is leading in 22. Most exit polls had suggested the BJP's return to power with a majority. However, both parties had said they were confident of their victory.
More than two hours after the counting began, the chances of Congress winning Himachal again are bleak. However, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's son, Vikramaditya Singh, is optimistic. "I am sure in the end Congress will be victorious and form government in the state" he told ANI. He is contesting from Shimla Rural.
As BJP leads in majority of seats in Himachal Pradesh, State BJP spokesperson Ganesh Dutt told IANS, "We have crossed the half-way mark. This clearly indicates we are going to form the government in the state."
In Sujanpur, BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal is trailing by 1,709 votes where Rajinder Singh is leading. In Himachal, it's the battle of old guards - Prem Kumar Dhumal and Virbhadra Singh.
Current Leads: BJP is currently leading in 39 seats, while Congress is ahead in 23 seats as counting is under way for 2017 Himachal Pradesh election. A total of 337 candidates contested the November 9 election and A total of 37,83,580 people voted in the hill state, a record 75.28 per cent polling.
As the counting began in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, within the first hour, the benchmark BSE Sensex tanked as much as 867 points to breach below the psychological 33,000-mark while the NSE Nifty plunged 258 points in the opening session, according to a PTI report. The 30-share index crashed by 867.34 points, or 2.59 per cent, to 32,595.63, with all sectoral indices led by realty, IT, teck, power and and banking trading in the negative zone
with losses of up to 1.74 per cent.
Just In: Current leads suggest BJP is leading in 41 of 68 seats, while Congress is leading in 21 seats.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the star campaigners for Himachal Pradesh assembly election campaign last month. He had attacked Congress over corruption and accused it of siphoning off Rs. 57,000 crore meant as subsidy for the poor.
Just In: BJP is leading in 40 seats currently and Congress is ahead in 24. A party needs to cross the halfway mark of 35 seats to win Himachal Pradesh.
Leads: While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier suggested that Himachal Pradesh election would be a one-sided battle, the initial leads countered his claim. The current leads suggest BJP is leading in 42 seats while Congress is ahead in 22.
Just In: Counting is under way in Himachal Pradesh and BJP is currently leading in 40 seats while BJP is ahead in 21 seats. Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya is leading by 1,316 votes in Shimla Rural, according to ANI.
While Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is leading from Arki, BJP's chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal is leading in Sujanpur.
After the early leads suggested a neck-to-neck fight, the current leads show BJP is leading in 38 seats, while Congress is ahead in 20 seats.
Just In: BJP is currently leading in 31 seats, however, Congress - which is currently ruling the state - is also giving a tough fight with a lead in 20 seats.
Current Leads: BJP is presently leading in 28 seats in the hilly state of Himachal, Congress is ahead in 19. 
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, 83, did not run a very aggressive election campaign in the state where the people have been alternating between Congress and the BJP. However, BJP, as expected was quite aggressive at the ground.
Current Leads: BJP is leading in 21 seats in Himachal Pradesh, while Congress leads in 14 seats.
"It's interesting to see how Himachal doesn't look like landslide for BJP right now," Dr Prannoy Roy on current leads.
BJP and Congress are giving each other a close fight in Himachal Pradesh. The BJP is leading in 18 seats currently and Congress is leading in 15 seats.
The leads suggest it's not going to be an easy win for either of the two parties. BJP is currently leading in 15 seats while Congress is ahead in 11 seats.
Current Leads: BJP is currently leading in 12 seats, Congress is leading in 4 seats.
Leads:BJP is currently leading in eight seats while Congress is leading in two seats.
Just In: Current Leads show BJP is leading in 3 seats while Congress is leading in 1 seat.
First Leads: Counting is underway in Himachal Pradesh. The first leads show BJP is leading in 2 seats and Congress is leading in 1 seat.
The election in Himachal Pradesh has been a hyper-local election. While the BJP threw its entire might behind the election campaign, Congress did not have enough funds to run a proper one. BJP is confident of win and is already preparing to host a community meal in a hotel, according to NDTV reporter Sonal Mehrotra.
Breaking: Counting has begun for the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections 2017.
This iconic picture is from March 24, 1998, when Prem Kumar Dhumal became chief minister of Himachal Pradesh for the first time and PM Narendra Modi was the state convenor at that time. Mr Dhumal told NDTV's Sonal Mehrotra that after his Himachal win, PM Modi became the chief minister of Gujarat for the first time. He said he and PM Modi still share a deep friendship.The question is if the BJP wins Himachal today, who will be given the credit for the victory- PM Narendra Modi or Prem Kumar Dhumal? 
The counting for the Himachal Pradesh 2017 assembly election will take place at 42 centres across the state. The results are likely to be declared by noon.
All the voting centres have eight to ten feet high wire mesh barricades with separate entry passages for counting staff and counting agents, Chief Electoral Officer Pushpendra Rajput was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI. The counting will be videographed at all the centres.
Congress Will Win Himachal Pradesh Election: Virbhadra Singh
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has said Congress would win the Himachal Pradesh election despite the exit polls suggesting otherwise. He said he "could well read the mood of the people of the state", and added the actual results would be the opposite of the exit poll projections.
"I am confident that 'mission repeat' would be achieved and tall claims made by the BJP would be proved wrong," Mr Singh suggested. The chief minister further mentioned he had been to every single pocket in the state during the election campaign and affirmed the Congress is in a strong position.
"Congress party has always fought on the issue of development and in the last five years, the state has seen rapid development," he asserted. 
In the 2017 Himachal Pradesh assembly election, a total of 337 candidates contested in 68 assembly constituencies. To form government in the state, a party needs 35 seats or more to cross the halfway mark. In 2012 assembly election, the Congress won 36 seats claiming victory, while the BJP won 26.
During the Himachal Pradesh election 2017 campaign, the BJP focused on the corruption charges Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh faces. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his election speeches, attacked the grand old party for allowing "five monsters" to flourish in the state - mining, forest, tender, transfer and drugs mafias.
Himachal Pradesh has seen swapping of power between the rivals - the BJP and Congress. Both BJP's Prem Dhumal and Congress' Virbhadra Singh, popularly known as "Raja Sahib" in the state owing to his royal roots, have mass appeal. Mr Dhumal, the son of an army man, and a professor who still teaches, is considered the only challenger to the incumbent chief minister.
A total of 2,820 counting staff has been deployed for today's exercise. This includes counting supervisors, counting assistants and micro observers. Three-tier security arrangements have been made at all the counting centres, Chief Electoral Officer, Pushpender Rajput said.
The BJP is confident of winning over 50 seats in the 68-member house."We discussed the post-poll situation after getting the feedback from the field and also the reports of undercutting in some places but reached the conclusion that party would form a stable government and win more than 50 seats in the 68 member house," news agency PTI had quoted party chief Satpal Singh Satti as saying as he shared party's internal assessment.
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