BJP hopes it will emerge largest coalition

As early trends in counting of votes showed UPA being ahead, the BJP appeared today unfazed and hoped that the situation will change and the NDA would emerge as the largest coalition.        

"This is the beginning only. There is neck and neck competition between NDA amnd UPA in many states where there will be 14 rounds of counting. The trend is based on the first round of counting only," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedekar told reporters here.       

"We are confident the NDA will emerge as the biggest coalition. The scenario will change as the counting progresses," he said.       

Javedekar was confident that BJP will perform better in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Uttar Pradesh.       Another spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said the early trend reflects the counting of votes mostly from seats from South India. "But BJP would do well in north, western India and Assam the results of which are yet to come," he said.       

"We will do better in Hindi heartland and western states, let the results come from all over the country. The scenario will change then," he said.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj told PTI: "There is no question of accepting defeat. These are early trends and we expect to do well in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Assam among other states. Nothing can be said before 1 pm."  

When asked if the BJP had got in touch with prospective allies to cross the magic figure of 272 in the Lok Sabha, Punj said: "We are in touch with our allies. Our allies are fine. We will wait for the final results before we talk to them."  

The BJP top brass will hold a meeting at the party headquarters at 16.30 Hours after the results are clear to take stock of the situation.