The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is headed for a huge victory having crossed the 260 mark in Uttar Pradesh, latest trends show.

BJP always looked like winning in the state but faced stiff competition from Samajwadi Party (SP) led by Akhilesh Yadav as counting for recently held assembly elections in the state began on Thursday.

BJP’s serving Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is set for a second term as CM of Uttar Pradesh with the party breaking a 35-year-old jinx to return to power for a second consecutive term.

The ruling party is well ahead of the majority mark of 202 in the 403 seat assembly. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav trailed behind with leads in 132 seats.

CM Adityanath is leading from Gorakhpur while SP chief Yadav is leading from Karhal. Shivpal Yadav is leading from Jaswant Nagar, and Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya is leading frorm Sirathu.

Notably, this will be the first time since 1985 that a ruling party will return to power for a second consecutive term in the state.

Counting of votes started at 8 am with postal ballots while the counting of electronic voting machines (EVMs) began from 8.30 am. Elections were held in Uttar Pradesh over seven phases.

Counting of votes was also underway in four other states where assembly elections were held. They were Punjab, Manipur, Goa, and Uttarakhand.