UPDATE - Exit polls give edge to Modi’s alliance in India’s richest state elections

UPDATES AS POLLS CLOSE, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – An alliance led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party has an edge in elections in the western state of Maharashtra, exit polls showed on Wednesday.

Millions cast their vote to elect 288 lawmakers to the state legislature in the country's wealthiest state, home to Mumbai, the financial capital.

Election authorities recorded 58.22% voter turnout. Around 97 million voters were eligible to cast ballots to decide the fate of 4,136 candidates.

As the polls closed, most of the exit polls, which have made inaccurate predictions in the past, showed the Mahayuti alliance led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to retain power.

The contest was between the Mahayuti alliance and the main opposition Congress party-led Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. Vote count will take place on Saturday.

Along with Maharashtra, elections also took place in the northeastern state of Jharkhand, where people voted to elect 38 of the 81 lawmakers.

Exit polls showed the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, which has an alliance with Congress, has a tight contest with the National Democratic Alliance led by BJP.