As per early trends available from the Election Commission of India (ECI), while the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress is leading in only 52 seats, PM Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ahead in a whopping 292 seats.
Congress’s dismal performance across the nation is aggravated by the fact that the BJP is leading in 57 seats (NDTV projections) in Uttar Pradesh (UP) alone.
In fact, Congress President Rahul Gandhi is trailing behind senior BJP leader Smriti Irani in Amethi which has long been a Congress bastion. Rahul Gandhi won the seat in 2014.
These numbers are line with exit polls which had indicated a brute majority for the NDA and a clear majority for the BJP on a standalone basis.
If the early trends are anything to go by, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the only second sitting prime minister to secure re-election with a full majority. In 1962, Jawaharlal Nehru of the Congress was reelected with a majoirty. .