<p> The UPA alliance was ahead in 250 constituencies with Congress alone leading in 198 seats.<br /> The ruling Front is just short of a little over 20 seats for the magic figure of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.<br /><br />The NDA was leading in 157 seats with BJP ahead in 119 seats.<br /><br />The Congress exulted over its victory saying it was a vindication of its policies while BJP spokespersons were still unwilling to concede defeat though they admitted that the UPA was ahead in early trends.<br />Manmohan Singh will be the first Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after a full five-year term with the Congress having nominated him as its candidate for the top post, first time it had done in its history.<br /><br />The Congress performance was spectacular in Kerala where it routed the Left Front and dealt a severe blow to the Marxists in West Bengal with help from ally Trinamool Congress.<br /><br />It also swept Delhi, did exceedingly well in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and more than doubled its tally in UP leading in 20 of the 80 seats there.</p>
<p> The UPA alliance was ahead in 250 constituencies with Congress alone leading in 198 seats.<br /> The ruling Front is just short of a little over 20 seats for the magic figure of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.<br /><br />The NDA was leading in 157 seats with BJP ahead in 119 seats.<br /><br />The Congress exulted over its victory saying it was a vindication of its policies while BJP spokespersons were still unwilling to concede defeat though they admitted that the UPA was ahead in early trends.<br />Manmohan Singh will be the first Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after a full five-year term with the Congress having nominated him as its candidate for the top post, first time it had done in its history.<br /><br />The Congress performance was spectacular in Kerala where it routed the Left Front and dealt a severe blow to the Marxists in West Bengal with help from ally Trinamool Congress.<br /><br />It also swept Delhi, did exceedingly well in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and more than doubled its tally in UP leading in 20 of the 80 seats there.</p>