Cliffhanger in Chhattisgarh; BJP surge in MP, Rajasthan; Telangana Congress jolt to BRS: Key points

Assembly election results 2023: The ruling BJP appeared poised to retain power in Madhya Pradesh. It gives tough fight to Congress in Chhattisgarh.

The Bharatiya Janata Party was leading in at least two states while giving a tough fight to the Congress, as per early trends available from the counting of votes in elections to the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assemblies.

Assembly election results 2023: Top points on early trends

1. The ruling BJP was ahead in 150 seats and the Congress in 78 seats in the Madhya Pradesh assembly election 2023, according to a national news channel at 9.45am. A poll official said postal ballots were counted between 8am and 8.30am, after which the counting of votes through EVMs began in the presence of officials and political parties' authorised agents. Follow MP Election Results LIVE
2. The ruling Congress was behind the BJP in Chhattisgarh, as per trends in elections to the Chhattisgarh assembly till 9.45am. The channel showed the BJP was leading on 48 seats, while Bhupesh Baghel's Congress leading in 43 seats out of 90 seats. Counting of votes in elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly started at 8am, with security personnel maintaining a strict vigil in counting centres in the state's 33 districts, including those affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE), a poll official said. Chhattisgarh Election Results LIVE
3. The BJP was ahead in 104 seats while the Congress was leading in 79, according to early trends for the assembly polls in Rajasthan. The BSP and RLD were ahead in one seat each, according to the EC. As the trends poured in, BJP candidate from Kota north Prahlad Gunjal said the BJP was going to form the government. "Rajasthan has given the mandate and the picture will become clear in sometime," he said. When asked who will be the CM, he said, “This will be decided by the party high command. We have big leaders like Vasundhara Raje and we need not bring from outside.” Counting of votes polled in the November 25 assembly elections in Rajasthan got underway at 8am amid tight security arrangements. Rajasthan Election Results LIVE
4. The Congress was leading in 68 out of the 119 seats as per initial trends available from the counting of votes polled in November 30 assembly elections. The ruling BRS was trailing behind its main challenger, the trends indicated. Counting of votes in elections to the 119-member Telangana assembly started at 8 am on Sunday, amid tight security at counting centres in the state. Follow Telangana polls Live Updates
5. Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao was trailing in Kamareddy constituency behind his main challenger and the state Congress president A Revanth Reddy by over 2,000 votes after the first round of counting as a resurgent Congress has established early leads across the state, barring Hyderabad urban region.

Chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot.