BJP secures Madhya Pradesh, Congress holds delicate lead in two states: Reports
Exit poll: As per the predictions made for the exit poll, the BJP is expected to secure a substantial victory in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress holds a marginal lead over the saffron party in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP under the leadership of four-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is set for an overwhelming triumph, as the exit poll indicates. However, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan portray a closely contested battle, with the Congress having a slight advantage over the BJP in both states, as per the exit poll findings. The exit poll also suggests that Telangana's Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) could face challenges, with the Congress reportedly leading in four exit polls.
Surprisingly, in Mizoram, the Opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), formed by an alliance of six parties, seems to be making unexpected headway, overpowering Chief Minister Zoramthanga’s Mizo National Front (MNF) based on the India Today-Axis My India exit poll.
Chhattisgarh's electoral scenario appears to be a tight contest between the Congress and the BJP, possibly resulting in a hung Assembly. According to the exit poll, the Congress holds a slight lead, projected to secure 40-50 seats, while the BJP is likely to win 36-46 out of the 90-member Assembly.
Compared to the 2018 elections, the ruling Congress might witness a decrease of 23 seats, while the BJP could gain 26, the exit poll suggests. In 2018, the Congress secured a sweeping victory with 68 seats against the BJP's 15.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel from the Congress maintains the lead as the preferred candidate for the post, with 31 per cent of respondents favoring him. The former Chief Minister and BJP MP Raman Singh emerge as the second choice, with 21 per cent support, according to the survey.
Other exit polls reveal a close competition between the Congress and the BJP, with the C-Voter exit poll predicting a potential victory for the BJP, projected to win 41-53 seats compared to the Congress' estimated 36-48 seats.
Rajasthan also exhibits a closely contested scenario, slightly favouring the Congress as per the survey. Out of 199 seats, the Congress is anticipated to secure 86-106 seats, while the BJP might obtain 80-100.
In Rajasthan, the median seat projections hint at the possibility of a hung assembly, with the Congress projected to attain 96 seats, while the BJP might secure 90 seats. With an expected vote share of 42 per cent for the Congress and 41 per cent for the BJP, the exit poll also predicts a 15 per cent vote share for other Independent candidates and a 2 per cent share for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot maintains preference as the most suitable candidate for the post, with 32 per cent of respondents endorsing him. However, 21 per cent of respondents opine that any BJP candidate would be a better choice than Gehlot.
Other exit polls suggest a better performance for the BJP in Rajasthan. For instance, the Matrize exit poll projects a potential victory for the BJP, estimating 115-130 seats, while the Congress may secure 65-75 seats.
The median of five exit polls showcases the Congress garnering 87 seats and the BJP securing 104 seats in Rajasthan.
The exit poll indicates a resounding triumph for the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh, with an estimated 140-162 seats out of the 230-member Assembly. On the contrary, the Congress is expected to obtain 68-90 seats. The median projection of seats for the BJP is 152, while it is 76 for the Congress.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan from the BJP seems to have overcome anti-incumbency, securing 36 per cent of respondents' support as the preferred choice for the chief ministerial position. Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath from the Congress follows closely, with 30 per cent of respondents favoring him, according to the exit poll survey.
Other exit polls also align with a BJP victory in Madhya Pradesh, except for the Polstrat survey, which suggests a marginal lead for the Congress. Based on the projections from five exit polls, the BJP is expected to secure 130 seats, while the Congress might clinch 98 seats.
The 119-member Telangana Assembly elections, held in a single phase with a voter turnout of 64 per cent, foresee a potential edge for the Congress over the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) led by KCR, according to four exit polls.
The median projection suggests the Congress could secure 61 seats, while the KCR-led BRS might win 46 seats. Despite an extensive campaign by the BJP, it is projected to win only seven seats based on the median from the four exit polls.
The exit polls included for projecting the results are Jan ki Baat, Polstrat, Matrize, and Today's Chanakya.
In Mizoram, the Zoram People's Movement is anticipated to attain a substantial victory with 28-35 seats in the 40-member Assembly, as per the exit poll survey. Contrarily, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) may secure only 3 to 7 seats, as predicted by the exit poll.
However, the median of three exit polls, including the Axis My India, estimates a lower victory for the ZPM, securing 22 seats. The C-Voter poll predicts a range of 12 to 18 seats for the party. In contrast, the ruling MNF is estimated to win 12 seats based on the median of four exit polls, while the Congress and the BJP may secure five and one seat, respectively.
- With inputs from agencies
