MP Election Results 2018 LIVE: Congress Inches Closer to Sweeping State in Nail-biter

Congress now needs only two seats to win majority here.  

MPCC chief Kamal Nath has sent a letter to Governor staking claim to form government in Madhya Pradesh.  

Congress to move Raj Bhawan by midnight to stake claim. 

It is with this in mind that the RSS chief is understood to have in his recent Vijaydashmi address to cadres exhorted them to ensure 100% turnout of voters. And exhorted the voters to "chose the lesser devil." He said, "In such a situation, non voting or using the provision of None of the Above (NOTA) goes in favour of the one who is most ineffective. So, 100 per cent voting is essential keeping in mind national interest as supreme without getting swayed by campaigns of all sides," he said.

NOTA Chosen by Disgruntled Voters | NOTA was among the most popular choice that upper castes and a section of OBCs, who were angry with the BJP but did not want to vote for the Congress, are likely to have exercised. Several Rajput dominant villages in MP had put up signboards prohibiting BJP candidates from entering their villages, and declaring support for NOTA.

According to the latest data NOTA has polled over 5.3 lakh votes, which is only below the votes garnered by BJP, Congress, BSP, Independents, and Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP). While only a detailed seat wise analysis of the elections in MP will show how effectively this option was used, what may be beyond doubt is the apprehension BJP and RSS had about the popularity of NOTA dampening the possibilites of the saffron party candidates in the elections.

Despite pleas from the RSS chief Madhya Pradesh to not opt for NOTA, with over 5 lakh votes, in Madhya Pradesh, where RSS has a sizeable presence, NOTA has still emerged as the six most popular choice of MP's voters.

According to the latest numbers provided by the EC, Congress stands victorious on 114 seats, while BJP has secured 109 seats.  Rest 7 seats have gone to Others.  

PM Modi has congratulated the Congress for its victory in Chhattisgarh, rajasthan as well as Madhya Pradesh where the counting is still underway.  

We accept the people’s mandate with humility.

I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018

Reflecting upon the results, Rahul said he was "quite happy with what we have achieved". He added that he wished the party had done better in Telangana.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is currently leading by over 54,000 votes as counting is still underway.  

Congress President Rahul Gandhi: This is a victory of Congress workers, small traders, farmers. This is a big responsibility for Congress party and we will work on this. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/zXd1k8qFUk

— ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018

As Madhya Pradesh is yet to declare the victorious party, Congress chief congratulated the party there while addressing the media at party headquarters in New Delhi.  He also dedicated the win to the Congress workers who helped the party attain the numbers.  

BSP leader Sudheendra Bhadoria has said that the party will lend support to the Congress for government formation. he said that they the BJP has been voted out of power almost everywhere. "We won't let the BJP to form government," he said. 

The election commission has said that all results will be ready by 10 pm and the declaration will be done by midnight as few more rounds of counting is still underway. 

Counting is still underway on 120 seats here.  

As the Congress has taken majority in most states, the party took to Twitter to congratulate the supporters.  

Democracy has won!

Thank you India, you have chosen love over hate, peace over violence & truth over lies.

This victory is yours. #CongressWinsBIG pic.twitter.com/8d9JjsQuKP

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 11, 2018

Five more rounds of counting are still awaited as Congress and BJP inch closer to victory.  

The Delhi Police erected barricades near the BJP headquarters at ITO in New Delhi in the morning as a precautionary measure to manage crowd, expecting the arrival of party workers following the results of assembly polls in five states.

Senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia are liekly to address the media around 7pm today.  

Congress working president Jitu Patwari gains lead from Rau after trailing for long.

It's Beginning of End of Modi Govt: Amarinder Singh | Terming the assembly poll results in three Hindi heartland states  as a mandate for the leadership of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday claimed that it was the "beginning of the end" of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government. The Chief Minister said the Congress' performance showed that the party was on an upswing across the country.

In what seems to be an interesting contest between Congress and BJP, the Congress is now leading with 111 seats.  

Last June, Mandsaur became the symbol of farmer angst for the entire country after a protest demanding better crop prices turned violent and five agitating farmers were killed in police firing. The incident prompted Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan to announce a generous compensation package for families of deceased farmers, followed by a new price support scheme for pulses and oilseeds.The agrarian politics in Mandsaur became heavily politicised over the past few months after several farmer leader visited it in attempt to mobilise farmers in their favour. Interestingly the kin of the killed farmers, all Patidars, were campaigning for the Congress, through small sabhas, as they confirmed to News18. 

While farmers' anger is visible all across MP, in Mandsaur - the epicenter of farmer protests, BJP's Yashpal Singh Sisodiya is likely to win yet again Mandsaur is the seat which Rahul Gandhi visited twice - last year in June when six farmers were killed in protests - and again this year to commemorate. On both the occasions he drew huge crowds, and attracted huge support when he promised farm loan waiver to the agricultural hub. According to the latest data from the Election Commission of India, Sisodiya is ahead of his nearest rival, a Congress candidate, by over 17,000 votes - a lead that is unlikely to reverse at this stage. 

Veteran leaders of Congress  Suresh Pachauri, Arun Yadav, Ajay Singh, Jitu Patwari, Bala Bachchan are likely to lose. 

Nearly 15,000 votes are yet to be counted. The final result will be declared after that. It is likely to take more than one hour from now. 

Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE: It's anyone's game in Madhya Pradesh now as at least 26 seats are going down to the wire with a margin of less than 500 votes between the Congress and BJP candidates.

Numbers Flicker | Congress is now at 109 seats, while the BJP is leading with 111 seats.  

West Bengal chief minister has termed the poll results a 'disaster' for the BJP.  

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal CM in Delhi: There are many reasons behind BJP's defeat, proud of being in power & misuse of democratic institutions are some. People from all strata of society are against BJP. This a disaster for them. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/WEEjL4tUmm

— ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018