Himachal Pradesh: BJP and Congress tied on 32 seats each at 10:30 am

Shimla: The ruling BJP is leading in 30 of the 68 assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh and the Congress in 28 while Independent candidates are ahead in three, according to the Election Commission.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had fielded candidates in 67 seats, is yet to open its account.

Candidates who are leading include Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur from Seraj, Ministers Bikram Singh (Jaswant Paragpur), Ram Lal Markande (Lahaul-Spiti) and Speaker and BJP leader Vipin Singh Parmar (Sullah).

BJP's Puran Chand (Darang), former minister Narender Bragata's son Chetan Bragata (Jubbal Kotkhai) and former Union minister Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma (Mandi Sadar) are among those leading.

Congress candidates Jagat Singh Negi is leading from Kinnaur, Vikramaditya Singh, son of late chief minister Virbhadra Singh, from Shimla Rural, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu from Naudan, former minister Sudhir Sharma from Dharamsala and Dhani Ram Shandil from Solan seat.

Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra and K L Thakur from Nalagarh are among the Independents who are leading. Chief Minister Thakur and Himachal Pradesh Congress president Pratibha Singh have maintained that their parties would get full majority with over 40 out of the 68 seats.  Counting of votes for the 68-member assembly began at 8 am where the ruling BJP is hoping to retain power.

"In the early trends, the BJP was ahead. The party will retain power in the state and change the tradition (of the alternate government trend). The picture will be clear by noon. We are confident of winning," Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Suresh Kashyap said. Himachal Pradesh has not returned any incumbent government to power in the last nearly four decades.

The results of the elections will also reveal whether the BJP's all-out personalised campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to buck the 'alternate government' trend has worked or not.

For the opposition Congress, however, a victory in Himachal is much-needed for its revival, as it has seen a spate of electoral losses in the last few years.

About 76.44 per cent of voters had exercised their franchise in the assembly polls held on November 12. A total of 412 candidates including 24 women and 99 independents are in fray.