By 1, May 4 -- Indian equity markets opened on a positive note after the long weekend, with benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty trading firmly in the green amid the ongoing counting of Assembly election votes in four states and a Union Territory on Monday.

15 pm, the Sensex was up 365 points at 77,279.21, while the Nifty gained 109 points to trade at 24,107.45.

Market sentiment was supported by easing crude oil prices, while investors also tracked political developments, particularly in West Bengal, where early trends indicated a strong performance by the Bharatiya Janata Party, raising expectations of a possible return to power in the state.

According to Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments Limited, s...