Exit Polls Predict BJP Losing Ground in Strongholds Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje and Raman Singh; Photo Credit: Jansatta
New Delhi: Exit polls on Friday predicted a Congress victory in Rajasthan, a clear edge for the party in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and TRS ahead in Telangana, which spells bad news for the ruling BJP.
In Rajasthan, the exit polls show a continuing a trend of not re-electing the party in power for a second term in the last 20 years.
In the 200-seat Rajasthan Assembly, the India Today-Axis My India survey predicted that the Congress was set to sweep the polls, winning between 119 and 141 seats with a vote share of 42 per cent.
The survey predicted that the BJP may get 55-72 seats with a 37 per cent vote share.
The Republic TV-CVoter predicted that the Congress would get 81-101 seats and the BJP 83-103 seats.
Another survey by The Times Now-CNX predicted that the Congress was likely to win 105 seats and the BJP 85 seats. According to the survey, the BSP may get seven seats while two may go to "Others".
A survey by News24 gave the Congress a clear majority (110-120 seats) while the BJP was likely to win 70-80 seats.
In 2013, the BJP won 163 of the 200 seats. The Congress finished a distant second with just 21 seats.
Polling in Rajasthan ended on December 7. The votes would be counted on December 11.
Madhya Pradesh
A majority of exit polls on Friday predicted a victory for the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, which the BJP has ruled since 2003.
ABP News-Lokniti CSDS survey predicted a win for the Congress giving it 126, the BJP 94 and others 10 in the 230-member Assembly.
India Today-My Axis poll too gave the Congress an edge predicting 104-122 seats while the BJP was predicted to win 102-120 seats. It predicted 1-3 seats for BSP and 3-8 seats for others.
The exit poll by C-Voter predicted a Congress win in 110 to 126 seats as against the BJP (90- 106 seats). Other parties are likely to win 6 to 22 seats.
As per the iTV-Neta exit poll, the Congress may win around 112 seats and the BJP 106. Other parties, including the Mayawati's BSP, are predicted to win around 12 seats.
However, Times Now-CNX poll predicted a BJP win with 126 seats and 89 seats for the Congress. The BSP is predicted to bag 6 seats.
In the 230-seat Assembly, a party needs to win 116 to form a government.
In 2013, the BJP won 165 seats, the Congress 58, BSP four and Independents won three seats
Chhattisgarh
The Congress is likely to get enough seats to form a government in Chhattisgarh after spending 15 years in the opposition, a majority of exit polls predicted on Friday evening.
According to India Today-Axis My India, the Congress would bag 55-65 seats in the 90-member Assembly while the ruling BJP’s share would reduce to 21-31 seats.
Republic-C-Voters also predicted a victory for Congress on 40-50 seats and said the BJP would win 35-43 seats. Assembly elections in the state took place last month.
But Times Now-CNX and ABP News-CSDS forecast that the BJP would retain power for a fourth straight time.
The former projected 46 seats for BJP and 35 for the Congress while the latter saw BJP's victory on 52 seats and that of Congress on 35.
News Nation predicted 40-44 seats for Congress, 38-42 for BJP and 4-8 for the alliance of Congress rebel Ajit Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which can play a role of the kingmaker in the event of a split verdict.
News24-Pace Media exit poll said the Congress would emerge the winner in the fiercely-fought elections with 45-51 assembly seats while the BJP would get 36-42 seats.
In 2013, the BJP formed the government for a third time in a row after wining 49 seats in the 90-member assembly. The Congress won 39 seats.
Telangana
Exit polls on Friday predicted that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) will retain power in Telangana and the gamble by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to dissolve the Assembly ahead of schedule may have worked in his favour.
According to various surveys, the Congress-led People's Front will have to sit in the opposition in the state Assembly.
The Congress had stitched an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party, the Telangana Jana Samithi and the Communist Party of India to take on the TRS.
India Today-Axis My India exit poll predicted that TRS may win 79 to 91 seats in the 119 member Assembly while the Congress-led alliance may get 21 to 33 seats. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) may end up with 4-7 seats and the BJP 1-3 seats.
The Times Now-CNX survey predicted that the TRS may win 66 seats and the Congress-led alliance 37.
The survey conducted by Republic-C-Voter claimed that TRS would win 48-60 seats, Congress 47-59, BJP 5 and others 1-13 seats.
TV9 Telugu-AARA predicted that TRS may win 75-85 seats, Congress 25-35, BJP 2-3 and others 7-11 seats.
However, NewsX-Neta predicted that TRS would emerge as the single largest party with 57 seats, three short of the 'magic figure' 60. It claimed that Praja Kutami may get 46, BJP 6 and others 10.
Telangana voted on Friday and the results would be declared on December 11.
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