Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is poised to romp back to power and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to emerge as the largest party in parliament, according to exit polls following the end of a bruising general election.

The exit polls were released last night after voting in the seventh and final phase of a protracted election that began on April 11. Around 900m people were eligible to cast ballots during the mammoth process.

The contest was framed as a referendum on Mr Modi’s leadership, as he sought another five-year mandate to continue his efforts to build a “New India”. Exit polls indicated that the BJP — riding on Mr Modi’s image as hard-working, incorruptible and well-intentioned — and its allies would secure a majority of parliamentary seats, trouncing rivals including the opposition Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi.