Varanasi, June 4: As the counting of votes is underway for the 18th Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is contesting from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi is leading with 139139 votes.

On the other hand, Congress' Ajay Rai has garnered 403382 votes.

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief and candidate from Varanasi, Ajay Rai asserted that the exit polls released after the conclusion of the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections were fabricated.

He said, "I had said yesterday too that the exit poll was concocted, to mislead people and create mental pressure. We are connected to the ground reality, I had said that the INDIA alliance will give results and the outcome is before everyone."

Expressing confidence in the victory, Rai said, "INDIA alliance is going to form the government in the country and the alliance is winning with a huge majority. We will also win Varanasi."

Taking a jibe at the BJP, the Congress candidate claimed that the party considers itself above the people. "BJP ordered crackers and prepared sweets beforehand. All their crackers and sweets will remain untouched. It means that they consider themselves above the public... This is overconfidence... We will win and give a good government..."

Around 642 million people voted in Lok Sabha elections held over seven phases in a mammoth six-week period. The counting of votes began starting with postal ballot papers amid tight security. The counting for State Legislative Assemblies of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of by-polls in 25 Assembly constituencies also began.

Strict security has been put in place for the smooth counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general election. With counting began for the Lok Sabha elections, which have seen the largest voter participation, the electoral fate of several leaders across the political spectrum will be decided.

Two exit polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Most exit polls predicted a straight term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with quite few of them projecting a two-thirds majority for the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Congress party and its allies dismissed the exit polls as "orchestrated" and a work of "fantasy", asserting that the opposition INDIA bloc will form the next government at the Centre.

In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52.

(ANI)

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