India's ruling coalition appears to have shed some seats in the third round of parliamentary elections and would end up with a very slender majority in the Lok Sabha, exit polls indicated on Monday.
Of the 136 constituencies that went to the polls on Monday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies could mop up 60 to 80 while the Congress and its allies could gain with 38 to 50 seats.
About 12 to 24 seats would go to other parties, the STAR News poll said.
The BJP and its allies won a total of 302 seats in 1999 while the Congress and its allies ended up with 137.
In its early national projections for all 543 seats, based on polling already completed in 276 seats, STAR News predicted a loss of seats for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which could end up with 267-279 seats.
The Congress and its allies were expected to win 160 to 172 seats, while other parties were likely to bag 97-109, said STAR.
In its national projection that yielded the picture of a hung parliament, the Aaj tak channel projected 262 seats for the NDA, slightly less than the crucial halfway mark of 273, 177 for the Congress and allies and 104 for other parties.
{{/usCountry}}In its national projection that yielded the picture of a hung parliament, the Aaj tak channel projected 262 seats for the NDA, slightly less than the crucial halfway mark of 273, 177 for the Congress and allies and 104 for other parties.
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