As per the EC, BJP is now leading on 149 seats in Gujarat and Congress on 20 seats so far as counting continues. The saffron party's vote share soared to 53.62%.Despite a high-octane campaigning, AAP is leading in just 7 seats. Meanwhile, it appears to be a close fight in Himachal Pradesh where both BJP and Congress are locked in a see-saw battlle since the counting began.
The total number of assembly seats are 182 in Gujarat and 68 in Himachal Pradesh. Exit polls had predicted a huge win for BJP in Gujarat assembly elections while a close contest between BJP and Congress in Himachal Pradesh. A win in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections 2022 would boost PM Modi-led BJP’s bid for a consecutive third term at the Centre in 2024. The Congress has been battling factionalism and lack of direction since the death of Ahmed Patel -- its pointsman in the state -- in 2020. The party had carried out a low-key campaign, for which Rahul Gandhi spared a day from his Bharat Jodo Yatra.While the BJP score appeared to bear out speculation that AAP's entry had acted as a catalyst, cutting into Congress votes, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya rubbished the possibility.