Assembly Polls Updates: TMC Leads in 200+ Seats, LDF Headed for Historic Win

*This story will be periodically updated with the latest important updates.

TMC surges ahead in West Bengal, Leading in 200+ seats

The ruling Trinamool Congress was ahead of the BJP in the keenly watched state of West Bengal while the saffron party-led NDA was leading in Assam and the DMK in Tamil Nadu, according to latest trends for Assembly polls.

As per the Election Commission, the TMC was leading in 202 seats as of 1 pm, while the BJP -- which had said it was confident of winning 200+ seats -- was leading in 77 seats. Most reports state that Banerjee's TMC is likely to retain West Bengal and is headed for a big victory even after 10 years of incumbency.

In Kerala, as the LDF continued to take a lead, BJP was leading in merely three seats.

Ruling LDF heading for a historic win in Kerala

The ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala is all set to retain power as it is leading at least in 94 of the 140 Assembly seats as counting is still in progress.

If they win, they will buck the over four-decade-old trend of the state swinging between the Left and the Congress- headed UDF.

As per the Election Commission figures, the LDF is ahead in 85 seats, while the opposition Congress-headed UDF is leading in 44segments and the BJP-NDA, in three
constituencies. The Left front is far ahead of its rivals in 10 of the 14 districts as per the latest figures.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is ahead over his nearest rival by over 13,000 votes in Dharmadam constituency in Kannur.

DMK leads in 118 seats, minimum for a simple majority in TN Assembly

The DMK is leading in 118 segments, the minimum for a simple majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly and its allies in 19, giving the front a comfortable leeway as counting of votes progressed on Sunday for the April 6 assembly elections.

The AIADMK is ahead in 80 seats and together with its partners in 94 constituencies, according to trends made available by the Election Commission for 232 segments till 1 pm.

Assam polls: NDA ahead in 77 seats, trends indicate victory

The ruling BJP-led NDA in Assam is leading in 77 Assembly seats, while the Grand Alliance spearheaded by the Congress is ahead in 40 places, according to the trends available on the Election Commission's website.

The BJP is leading in 62 seats, and its partners Asom Gana Parishad and United People's Party, Liberal  are ahead in 10 and seven constituencies respectively.

Congress candidates are leading in 26 seats, while those of its ally AIUDF in 11 and Bodoland People's Front in three.

Pondicherry: AINRC-led NDA continues to maintain lead

The AINRC-led NDA maintained its lead in eight out of 30 Assembly seats in Puducherry while the Congress-led front was ahead in two segments as the counting of votes polled in April 6 elections was underway.

However, Founder leader of AINRC and former Chief Minister of Union Territory N Rangasamy was trailing behind an Independent candidate Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok in Yanam constituency, according to trends available by 12.30 pm on Sunday. Ashok was backed by the Congress.

Orders on victory processions being flouted, restrain your workers: EC tells political parties

The Election Commission on Sunday told political parties that its ban on victory processions during and after counting of votes is being flouted, and asked them to restrain their workers from violating Covid-19 guidelines. 

The EC wrote to the heads of the recognised parties about its instructions being ignored, amid reports of party workers holding celebrations in states where counting of votes is underway.
 

Mamata Banerjee: 'Combatting COVID-19 will be top priority'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said combating the COVID-19 situation will be
the topmost priority of her government and dedicated her party's resounding victory to the people of the state. "For us, combating the COVID-19 situation will be the topmost priority... This is victory of Bengal and only Bengal can do it," she said in her brief message to party workers.