• DEMOCRATS CONFOUND PROPHETS 
• LEAD OF OVER 16 LAKH VOTES AGAINST DEWEY 
• BIG MAJORITY IN BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS

New York: Mr. Harry S. Truman was today re-elected President of the United States of America for four years in one of the most sensational upsets in American history. His 46-year-old Republican opponent, Mr Thomas Dewey, Governor of New York, conceded his surprise victory in this photo finish election at 4-15 p.m., G.M.T., (9-45 p.m., I.S.T.)- after the world had been kept waiting for nearly 12 hours. 

Sixty-four-year-old Democrat, Mr Truman, the “hopeless chance,” also swept his party to power in both Houses of Congress in one of the closest election races in U.S. history. 

Mr. Dewey said Mr. Truman was sure to win an Electoral College majority. 

From New York Mr. Dewey sent a congratulatory telegram to Mr Truman at Kansas City. The telegram said: “My heartiest congratulations to you on your election and every good wish for a successful administration and urge an Americans to unite behind you in support of every effort to keep our nation strong and free and establish peace in the world.” 

Voting figures had run neck to neck through some 15 hours of counting before Mr. Dewey finally conceded. 

When Mr. Dewey conceded, Mr. Truman was leading in 28 States, carrying between them 304 electoral votes. Required to win are 266 electoral votes. 

Mr. Dewey was leading in 16 States with 189 electoral votes.

The last Republican hope that Mr. Dewey might nose out the President in the electoral vote, even though he was trailing well behind in popular voting, apparently faded with the late California returns, which put Mr. Truman ahead in that State. 

The political prophets were completely confounded by the final out-come of the keen contest, though Mr. Truman himself had complete confidence in the result. 

Congress results were still not final, but latest returns indicated this line-up. 

Senate:-54 Democrats and 42 Republicans-required majority 49.

House of Representatives: 246 Democrats, 188 Republicans and one American Labour-required majority 218. 

The Republicans had been in the majority in both Houses of Congress since 1946.