- Congress and its allies lead with 55 seats in the state elections.
- Modi's BJP won state elections in Haryana state in October.
- It lost its majority in parliamentary elections in April and June.
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party and his allies were set to return to power in the country's richest state, television channels reported Saturday, a boost for the Hindu nationalist leader after a disappointing general election.
In Maharashtra, home to India's financial capital Mumbai, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance was leading with 221 of 288 seats.
The opposition Congress party and its allies lead with 55 seats in the state elections, local media reported.
“The Mahayuti government […] has achieved undisputed and resounding success,” Eknath Shinde, chief minister of the state, said on social media platform X.
Modi lost his majority in parliamentary elections held between April and June and had to rely on fickle allies to form a government.
Last month, his party won state elections in the northern state of Haryana.
Victories in state elections help political parties increase their numbers in the upper house of parliament, which is key to decision-making.
In the mine-rich eastern state of Jharkhand, the ruling regional party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which is allied with the Congress-led opposition, is trying to regain control by defeating the BJP and its allies, media reported.
Political parties in both states have implemented a series of measures that they say will benefit farmers and women, both considered critical electoral blocs.
Results from Maharashtra and Jharkhand are expected on Saturday.
