Modi's party appears to lead as Indian votes are counted
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist party were leading in several races as vote counting began Thursday morning in India's massive general elections.
Election Commission data showed the Bharatiya Janata Party leading in contests for 206 seats, with its main rival, the Indian National Congress, ahead in 55 contests.
"Mr. Modi's going to be the next prime minister, we are very assured of that," said Meenakshi Lekhi, a member of Parliament running for re-election in New Delhi.
The count was expected to conclude by the evening. In the world's largest democratic exercise, some 900 million people were registered to cast ballots for 542 seats in India's lower house of Parliament in seven phases of voting staggered over six weeks.
A party or coalition needs a simple majority, or 272 seats, to govern.
