Uttar Pradesh elections: Exit polls suggest huge gains for Narendera Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party

Statistics do however indiciate the BJP will fall slightly short of the 202 seats needed for a majority

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the audience during an event to honour "sarpanch" women (Reuters)

Exit polls from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are predicting huge gains for Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Despite the apparent success, the polls do suggest that BJP will fall slightly short of the 202 seats needed to form a majority government in the region.

The marathon seven-phase election has been drawing to a close and the poll of all the polls, gives BJP 179 seats with predictions ranging from 155 seats to 210.

This is a significant gain from the previous assembly election in Uttar Pradesh, which was held in 2012, where BJP only secured 47 seats.

In recent years Uttar Pradesh has become a key battleground in Indian politics and the legislative assembly election is seen as a precursor for the general election which is being held in 2019.

It is one of five state polls taking place across India and winning Uttar Pradesh in particular would give Mr Modi significant momentum going into the general election.

Mr Modi pushed particularly hard in the region and held 24 railles during the campaiging period.

The state is one of the most populated areas in India and has 403 legislators and 80 parliamentarians.