Overview
- Election Commission counting showed the NDA leading in around 180 seats and already winning 22 by late afternoon, leaving the Opposition far behind.
- The Mahagathbandhan of the RJD, Congress and Left parties was reported to be struggling to cross the 35-seat mark as results firmed up.
- Mumtaz Patel publicly accused Congress of repeated failures due to power being held by a few leaders, warning they would be rewarded despite the rout.
- Senior Congress figures including Shashi Tharoor and former Bihar unit chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh called for serious organisational review and introspection.
- Coverage highlighted women’s higher turnout, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi urging Opposition parties to engage women more directly in their outreach.