Early trends show lead for Congress in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: As per initial trends after second round, Congress is leading on 112 seats while BJP is leading on 102 constituencies in

Madhya Pradesh

.

"INC is leading on 112 seats, BJP is leading on 102 seats, and others leading on 16 seats after second round", chief electoral officer, Madhya Pradesh, VL Kantha Rao said.

"No complaint regarding polling has been cleared till now," Rao said.

"A total of 15 EVMs were found during counting where mock polls data was not cleared. We have apprised the commission about it, he said.

For a majority 116 seats are required in the 230 seat Madhya Pradesh assembly.

Initial trends also indicated that Congress is making gains in urban BJP bastions like Bhopal. Congress is leadin in four of seven assembly constituencies in Bhopal.

Overall across MP, BJP held 44 of 48 urban seats in MP Vidhan Sabha of 2013. In 2018, the trend seems to be shifting, BJP is leading in only 24 seats, with Congress maintaining looks at gaining 20 seats along with BSP leading in 2.

BJP's incumbent MLAs are trailing in Huzur, Berasia, Madhya constituencies after initial round of counting. In Bhopal North, Congress incumbent Arif Aqueel was leading by 2,400 votes after three rounds of counting.

Bhopal North incumbent Congress MLA Arif Aqueel leads BJP's Fatima Rasool by 2,400 votes. In Bhopal Madhya seat, Congress candidate Arif Masood leads BJP incumbent Surendranath Singh.

Bhopal Berasia Congress candidate Jayshree leads BJP incumbent Vishnu Khatri. In Bhopal Govindpura BJP candidate Krishna Gaur leads Congress candidate Girish Sharma. Bhopal Huzur Congress candidate Naresh Gyanchandani leads BJP incumbent Rameshwar Sharma.

Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Madhya Pradesh voted on November 28 after a tightly-fought contest between the incumbent BJP and opposition Congress. Counting of votes had started at 8 am in all the 230 constituencies of Madhya Pradesh. Counting of EVMs started after the counting of postal ballots. Counting is being done at 306 counting halls and more than 15000 employees have been deployed for the entire counting process.