Indian opposition concedes poll defeat
Projections by state media show Manmohan Singh's ruling Congress party leading the polls
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Saturday, 16, May 2009 11:01
India's main opposition party, the BJP, has conceded defeat in the country's general elections.
Voting trends projected by state broadcaster Doordarshan indicated that the ruling Congress party would win 245 seats, the BJP would come in second with 160 MPs while the Third Front coalition would finish with 60 places in the 543 seat parliament.
Speaking to the BBC, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said: "Our performance was not up to expectation... We accept the people's mandate gracefully."
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, the key member of the Third Front grouping, also accepted defeat saying that the Third Front had "suffered a major setback".
Official results are due to be announced soon but if projections are to be believed no party has secured enough seats to hold a clear majority in the lower house.
The post-election period is likely to see a scramble between parties to put together a coalition government before the seating of parliament on June 2nd.
Turnout for the election has been put at about 60 per cent, compared with 58 per cent in 2004.
Official results are due to be announced soon.