Narendra Modi loses aura of invincibility as predicted landslide fails to materialise

Exit polls had projected overwhelming victory for the BJP and an even stronger mandate for India's strongman

India's elections may return Narendra Modi to power for a third term, but Tuesday's results did not have the flavour of victory for the strongman prime minister.

Indeed, as the early counts of the votes began to roll in, it was clear this was going to be one of the most humbling moments for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) in over a decade.