India's ruling party is making significant strides in three crucial states during local elections, poised to unseat the opposition in two of them—a robust display of support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Key Developments:

• After over seven hours of counting, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds a substantial lead over the Indian National Congress in Madhya Pradesh, aligning with most exit poll predictions.
• The Congress party, governing Rajasthan, trails behind the BJP in the northern state. Surprisingly, the BJP leads in Chhattisgarh, where predictions favored Congress to retain control.
• The Congress party sees a glimmer of hope in Telangana, where it appears set to secure the southern state currently governed by a regional party.
• In total, five states held elections in November to choose lawmakers for their local assemblies. The counting for Mizoram will take place on Monday.

Latest Results From Election Commission

The Congress President Expresses Disappointment (4:02 p.m.)

The performance in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan "have no doubt been disappointing," Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said. "But with determination, we reaffirm our strong resolve to rebuild and revive ourselves in these three states." The party will "overcome temporary setbacks" and prepare for the upcoming national vote with the other opposition groups, he said.

Results Are Precursor for 2024 Vote, Minister Says

"We have been saying consistently that the next Lok Sabha elections, the BJP will score an even bigger victory and absolutely historic victory," Piyush Goyal, India’s trade minister, told Press Trust of India. "This is a precursor to that and very clearly the people of India have spoken their mind."

Congress Plans to Form Government in Telangana

Uttam Kumar Reddy, a lawmaker from the Congress party, said it would form the government in Telangana state, currently governed by Bharat Rashtra Samiti. Early trends from the Election Commission of India showed Congress leading in more than half of the seats in the 119-member assembly.

"There is a special place for the Gandhi family in the hearts of the Telangana people," Reddy told local media ANI. "We made a mistake in the 2014 and 2018 elections. This time, we corrected ourselves, and we are on the way to victory."

BJP Workers Celebrate in Rajasthan

BJP workers danced and celebrated in the streets outside their offices in the Rajasthan’s capital, Jaipur, as early trends showed Modi’s party may unseat the opposition in the state. Members were seen dancing and beating drums, according to footage posted by the local media ANI on social media site X.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Predicts BJP Win

"I have said this before that a comfortable majority will come to the BJP because the love of the people could be seen everywhere," Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, said on TV. The BJP is leading the main opposition in the early vote count in the state, which is currently governed by the party.

Modi May Visit Party Headquarters in New Delhi

Modi is likely to visit the ruling party’s headquarters in New Delhi at 6 p.m. today, CNBC-TV18 reported. Early counting showed the BJP may retain power in Madhya Pradesh and unseat the opposition in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.