BJP to crush Congress in battle for India, say exit polls

While the India Today-CICERO gave the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 115 seats and other parties 156, the ABP-Nielsen tally for the Congress grouping was 110.

Projections by India TV-CVoter put the NDA on top with 289 seats and the UPA far behind with 101. Other groups were projected to get 148 seats and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) five seats nationally.

The ORG-TimesNow exit poll, however, gave the Congress-led UPA a slightly higher 148 seats and the BJP-headed NDA 249 seats. Others were said to bag 146 seats.

Going by most projections, the Congress - born in 1885 and India's oldest political party - could end up with its lowest tally ever in the Lok Sabha -- perhaps in just two figures. Its lowest tally was 114 in 1999.

The BJP, which turned aggressive after Gujarat Chief Minister Modi was named its prime ministerial candidate, said the exit poll findings were on expected lines.