Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has claimed a historic third win in a row in the country’s parliamentary elections, but his ruling alliance appears to have failed to win a large majority as predicted.
He thanked voters and said he would continue the “good work” of the last decade.
Mr Modi’s BJP-led alliance is leading in more than 290 of 543 seats up for grabs, well short of their target of 400.
The Congress and other allied opposition parties have surprised observers, and are now expected to win more than 230.
The results give the lie to a slew of exit polls at the weekend that showed the BJP-led NDA alliance on course for a super majority of two-thirds of parliament, which would have allowed it to make changes to the constitution.
