Exit polls predict cliffhanger in Himachal Pradesh
Most pollsters have given an edge to the ruling BJP over the Congress in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh. Voting for the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly was held on November 12 -- by all means a crucial test for the BJP, which hopes to beat precedent and return to power, as well as for the Congress which is looking for electoral revival.
Subhashis Mittra
Most pollsters have given an edge to the ruling BJP over the Congress in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh.
Voting for the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly was held on November 12 -- by all means a crucial test for the BJP, which hopes to beat precedent and return to power, as well as for the Congress which is looking for electoral revival.
Counting of votes will take place on December 8, along with the ballots cast in Gujarat which too will have a new Assembly.
The exit polls projected a range of 24-41 seats for the BJP and 24-40 seats for the Congress. The majority mark in HP is 35 seats.
Aaj Tak-Axis My India predicted a close contest between the Congress and the BJP. It said the BJP would get 24-34 seats and the Congress 30-40 seats.
News 24-Today's Chanakya also pointed to a cliffhanger in Himachal Pradesh, predicting 33 seats for both the BJP and the Congress with a margin of plus-minus seven seats for both.
While ABP News C-Voter said the BJP was likely to get 33-41 seats and Congress 24-32, India TV predicted that the BJP would bag 35-40 seats, Congress 26-31 and AAP zero.
News X-Jan Ki Baat survey said the BJP was likely to get 32-40 seats in the hill state, Congress 27-34 and AAP zero.
While Republic TV P-MARQ predicted that the BJP would get 34-39, Congress 28-33 and AAP 0-1, the Times Now-ETG said the average seats BJP was likely to get was 38 and the Congress 28.
In 2017, the BJP won 44 seats, while the Congress got 21. The remaining seats went to others.
All exit polls predicted a big mandate for the BJP in Gujarat in the range of 117-151 seats in the 182-member assembly, while the Congress was predicted to bag seats in the range of 16-51 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party was projected to bag anything between two and 13 seats. The majority mark in Gujarat is 92.
Meanwhile, for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls, most exit polls predicted a huge win for the AAP over the BJP with the Congress a distant third.
(SUBHASHIS MITTRA is a New Delhi-based Senior Journalist, Freelance Writer, Political Commentator & Public Policy Analyst)
