Uttarakhand results: BJP leads in early trends

As vote counting picks pace, the BJP is leading in 40 seats in Uttarakhand and Congress is leading only in 28 seats, as per trends on 9:30am on Thursday.

The polling was held in the state on February 14 with more than 65 per cent of the electorate casting their votes. The ruling BJP is seeking a second consecutive term in office this time

Prominent candidates who contested the polls are Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, his cabinet colleagues Satpal Maharaj, Bansidhar Bhagat, Subodh Uniyal, Arvind Pandey, Dhan Singh Rawat and Rekha Arya, besides state BJP president Madan Kaushik.

Important Congress leaders whose fate will be decided include former chief minister Harish Rawat, former minister Yashpal Arya, state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal and Leader of Opposition in the fourth assembly Pritam Singh..

Several exit polls had predicted a close fight between the BJP and the Congress or a hung assembly.