Vote counting is underway in four Indian states and one union territory as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP seeks to expand its footprint into opposition strongholds. The most closely watched contest is in West Bengal, where the BJP is leading unexpectedly early, threatening the decade-long rule of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.

The campaign was marked by controversy over the removal of millions of names from voter rolls, which critics say disproportionately affected minorities. Banerjee has alleged irregularities in the voting process. Despite this, voter turnout in West Bengal hit a historic 92.47%, reflecting high political engagement.

In Assam and Puducherry, the BJP-led alliance is leading as predicted. In Kerala, the Congress-led coalition is ahead. Tamil Nadu is seeing a potential upset with actor-turned-politician Vijay Chandrasekhar's strong performance, which could challenge established parties like DMK and AIADMK.

Exit polls have shown mixed results, with some predicting BJP gains and others pointing to regional parties holding ground. However, exit polls in India have a mixed accuracy record. The Election Commission has deployed extra security in West Bengal amid fears of post-election violence.

Final results are expected later in the day, with counting continuing in multiple rounds. The outcomes could reshape India's political landscape, particularly if the BJP manages to break into new territories.

Source: www.dw.com