Modi’s coalition leads in a majority of seats in early count but opposition is stiffer than expected

By KRUTIKA PATHI and SHEIKH SAALIQ
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s coalition is leading in a majority of seats in India’s general election. That’s according to early figures Tuesday. But it faced a stronger challenge from the opposition than expected. The opposition pushed back against the leader’s mixed economic record and polarizing politics. Modi was still widely expected to be elected to a third five-year term in the world’s largest democratic exercise even as early count showed his Hindu nationalist party might not secure a majority on its own. If that trend holds, it would be a stunning blow for the 73-year-old leader. He has never been in a position where he has needed to rely on his coalition partners to govern.