India's month-long elections ended Wednesday with exit polls showing the ruling Indian National Congress-led alliance having an edge over rival Hindu-nationalist coalition as the world's biggest democratic exercise was expected to produce a highly- fractured verdict, according to dpa. Neither the Congress' United Progressive Alliance nor the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance were predicted to win a majority in the 545-seat Indian Parliament's Lok Sabha or House of the People. An exit poll by C-Voter research group broadcast on India TV showed the UPA winning 189 to 201 seats, while the opposition NDA was seen getting between 183 and 195 seats. The Third Front - an alliance of communist and regional parties - which are expected to play an important role in the formation of the government have been projected to get between 105 to 121 seats. Meanwhile, the Headlines Today news channel gave Congress and its allies 191 seats against 180 to BJP and its allies. To form a government, a simple majority of 272 seats in Parliament is required. The Star News-Nielsen exit poll also put the UPA marginally ahead at 199 seats, with NDA securing 191 seats. The CNN-IBN network gave between 185 to 205 seats to UPA between 165 to 185 to the NDA and the Third Front getting between 110 to 130 seats. The official results for the contests to the 543 seats - two members in the 545-member house are nominated from the Anglo-Indian community - will be declared by the Election Commission on Saturday. The new Parliament must be constituted by June 2 because the present government's tenure ends June 1. Political analysts said the possibility of a hung parliament meant the final results could be followed by days of horse-trading, in turn producing a weak coalition that may not last its full term. "It seems to be a very complex political situation. It is the complexity that makes it difficult to make any predictions," political analyst NP Chekutty told the IANS news agency. An estimated 428 million voters or some 60 per cent of the Indian electorate - that nearly equals the combined population of US and Russia - voted in the polls that were held over five phases since April 16, the Election Commission announced after the voting ended. The southern state of Tamil Nadu, the eastern metropolis of Kolkata and the India-administered Kashmir region were among the key areas that cast ballots. The final stage of elections was crucial as Tamil Nadu with 39 parliamentary seats is considered a swing state in the country's politics - the winner there likely to play a key role in forming the new government. The plight of Tamils in the conflict in neighbouring Sri Lanka emerged as a major campaign issue in Tamil Nadu, which has 62 million ethnic Tamils. Regional political parties focused on the issue in their campaigns, promising to protect the interests of ethnic Tamils. Brisk polling was also reported from insurgency-hit Jammu and Kashmir despite a general shutdown to enforce a poll boycott called by separatist leaders. Shops, offices and banks were closed as a large number of security personnel were deployed in the region to prevent protests and violence in and around the state capital, Srinagar. Although the polling was relatively peaceful, incidents of election-related violence were reported from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, where two activists were killed in clashes between political workers, the PTI news agency reported. Nearly 20 party workers were also wounded in clashes in Tamil Nadu and the northern state of Uttarakhand. Among key contestants in the polls Wednesday were Interior Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram and Varun Gandhi, scion of the Gandhi political dynasty who was accused of making a controversial anti-Muslim speech during campaigning. The two rival coalitions have stepped up their hunt for post-poll allies in a bid to form the next government. "I'm fully confident that a BJP-led government will be formed at the centre. We will get new partners (after the polls)," BJP president Rajnath Singh said. Within hours, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh claimed that his party would occupy the number one slot. Third Front parties, who are opposed to the Congress Party and the BJP, also decided to meet in New Delhi to discuss their course of action. "After consulting, we have decided we will meet in Delhi on May 18," Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat said. With no clear winners, there were indications that some Third Front constituents may break and join the leading coalitions. "There are feelers from many parties, but I am not responding to any overtures as of now," the regional All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK) party leader J Jayalalithaa said. "I prefer to wait until the 16th of May until I have the results in my hand, and then I'll decide what to do," she added. The AIADMK was expected to trounce its rival Dravida Munnetra Kazagham in Tamil Nadu and was being projected as the likely kingmaker in the next national government. The opening of the staggered elections on April 16 was marred by Maoist violence that killed at least 17 people. Since then, nearly 45 people, including security personnel and election officials, have been killed - more than 35 in attacks by Maoist rebels.
