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India state election results present test for Modi Narendra Modi's BJP sweeping key India state polls
(about 5 hours later)
India will announce results of five state elections on Saturday, which many are seeing as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Early trends suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to sweep crucial assembly elections in northern Uttar Pradesh state.
The main focus will be on Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous and politically significant state. Mr Modi personally led the campaign in the country's most populous state against regional rivals Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj party (BSP).
Mr Modi's BJP ran a strong campaign there against two powerful regional parties - the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj party (BSP) Trend suggest that BJP is also set to win the northern state of Uttarakhand.
Exit polls say the BJP will win, but these have been proven wrong before. The main opposition Congress party is leading in Punjab, and Manipur states.
Mr Modi has been central to his party's election strategy, and aggressively campaigned on a promise to bring growth and modernisation, and to root out corruption.Mr Modi has been central to his party's election strategy, and aggressively campaigned on a promise to bring growth and modernisation, and to root out corruption.
These are strong promises in an impoverished state where caste, family and religious affiliations are deeply entrenched. These were strong promises in an impoverished state like Uttar Pradesh where caste, family and religious affiliations are deeply entrenched.
But his bold nationalism and pro-Hindu politics do not appeal to everyone, and his controversial policy to ban high-value notes in a bid to curb corruption caused particular hardship here. Mr Modi also strongly backed his move to ban high value notes - amounting to 86% of India's currency - last year as a measure to tackle corruption.
The current chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, told BBC Hindi on Thursday that "secular forces" needed to unite to keep out the BJP - a comment widely being seen as an overture to his bitter rival, Dalit icon and four-time chief minister Mayawati. The incumbent chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, opposed the currency move, and told the electorate that Mr Modi had "taken money out of people's pockets", and hurt businesses in the state.
Many analysts say that she could well be the surprise factor this election. He also told people that he was the best person to bring development in the state.
Apart from Uttar Pradesh, results will be declared in the northern states of Punjab and Uttarakhand, the western state of Goa and the north eastern state of Manipur. "My track record in the past five years shows that I have a vision for the state," he said at a rally recently.
Analysts say Mr Yadav's decision to form an alliance with the Congress party, and his direct attack on Mr Modi's policies probably hurt his prospects.