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M. Continuo

Exit poll shows India's ruling coalition has edge


    NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's ruling Congress party-led coalition is ahead with 199 seats in a general election, a Star News television exit poll said on the final day of voting on Wednesday. The poll, covering the month-long election till three hours before the close of voting, forecast 191 seats for the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance in a 543-member parliament.

    Either party will need the support of smaller groups to cross the majority mark of 272 seats to form a government, possibly prompting weeks of backroom dealing.

    India's elections are notoriously hard to predict and most exit polls in the last general election in 2004 were way off the mark.

    (Editing by Alistair Scrutton)