Assembly polls: Congress, BJP tussle in Madhya Pradesh; MNF set to sweep Mizoram

Congress took an early lead in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with neck-and-neck battle in Madhya Pradesh between the Congress and the BJP in the five-state polls on Tuesday.

KCR-led TRS is set to sweep Telengana leading in 91 seats leaving the Congress and its allies far behind with 22 seats in the 119-member assembly.

After overfour hours since the ballot boxes were opened, Congress took a decisive lead in Chhattisgarh bouncing ahead in 61 seats with the BJP leading far behind in 19seats in the90-member state assembly.Ajit Jogi's JCC and Mayawati combine were leading in seven seats with Independents leading in a solitary seat.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Madhya Pradesh is locked in a tight race with the BJP and Congress changing hands as votes are being counted.

The Mizo National Front(MNF) in Mizoram easily crossed the half-way mark in the 40-member House with the party ahead in 26 seats with Congress leading in 9 seats and BJP leading in 1 seat. The Independents were ahead in 4 seats in the state.

In a major upset, Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla was defeated by MNF's T J Lalnuntluanga in Champhai South.

Congress and BJP are involved in akeen tussle in Rajasthan with the Opposition Congress leading in the state in 94 seats and the BJP ahead in 81 seats in the 199-member assembly.

"People have blessed us. We should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan," Sachin Pilot said with leads indicating his lead in Tonk assembly constituency.

"We are confident that the Congress will get a clear majority and will for its government in Rajasthan," Gehlot added as the BJP and Congress continued to battle in the state.