Conservative leader David Cameron, whose party has secured the largest number of seats and highest percentage of votes, is expected to form the next government in Britain that is set for an India-style coalition politics after no party won an overall majority.
With results of 600 of the 649 seats declared, the Conservative party won 287, Labour 237 and the Liberal Democrats 51. Independents and other parties won 27 seats.
As per rules governing the transition of power, as the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown will have the first go at forming a coalition government.
Only when he resigns after coming to the conclusion that he and his party cannot command the confidence of the House of Commons, will Cameron be invited to attempt to form a minority government.
Brown's attempt to stay in power by cobbling a majority will be seen as morally indefensible after his leadership and his party were rejected by the British electorate.
The Conservative party has indicated that it will have the support of MPs from Northern Ireland in its bid to deliver change. Commentators said Cameron was now within sight of the keys to 10, Downing Street.
Ideologically, Labour is closer to the Liberal Democrats, but given the current party position, even if the two parties come together, they are short of the magic figure of 326 is a House of Commons of 649 seats.
History was created when two Indian-origin women Priti Patel (Conservative) and Valerie Vaz (Labour) were declared elected. Never in the history of House of Commons were Asian women elected as MPs.
The term 'horse-trading', better known in the lexicon of Indian coalition politics, has become the buzzword as leaders of main parties try to cobble up a majority.
The biggest disappointment of the election has been the fate of Liberal Democrats, whose leader Nick Clegg had been catapulted to top billing after the first of the three television debates.
The party hoped to win over 100 seats, but is struggling to retain the number its seats in the last House 62.
Cameron declared that Brown and the Labour party had lost the mandate to rule after his party was clearly on course to emerge as the largest single party.
Brown, on the other hand, insisted that it was his duty to ensure that Britain had a "strong, stable and principled" government, which pointed towards a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. PTI
