Several television networks on Thursday put out their exit polls and showed their predictions for the state assemblies, just two days before the final results are to be declared on May 2. The majority of polls have predicted a close fight in West Bengal with lots of exit polls giving a clear edge to TMC. LDF will create history by retaining Kerala whereas DMK will sweep Tamil Nadu. Exit polls have also predicted a win for BJP in Assam and gains in the union territory of Puducherry.
In West Bengal, one of the most-watched state during this election season, four Surveys - Times Now C Voter, ABP News C Voter, News 24-Today’s Chanakya, India Ahead ETG Research and showed that TMC having a clear age while three surveys – P Marq, Republic-CNX and India TV People’s pulse showed that BJP has an advantage.
West Bengal witnessed a scathing campaign with both sides - the BJP and the ruling Trinamool. The Bengal Legislative Assembly has 294 seats while the majority mark is 148.
In Tamil Nadu, where the first state elections were conducted after the death of two veterans of the state politics - J Jayalalithaa of AIADMK and M Karunanidhi of DMK, almost all surveys have predicted a clear victory for DMK led by MK Stalin. DMK is predicted to win over 150 seats and AIADMK, which contested in alliance with the BJP, 58 seats.
AIADMK had retained the state under the leadership of Jayalalithaa in 2016, who soon after the win fell sick and died on December 5, 2016. Since then, AIADMK witnessed a lot of bickering and in-fighting and has lost ground-level support. In the 234-member assembly, the majority mark stands at 118.
Most surveys have predicted a victory for BJP in Assam with exit polls showing over 50 seats for the ruling party in the 164-member assembly, 14 more than the majority mark 64. While India Today-Axis My India exit poll said the BJP-led NDA is likely to get 75-85 seats out of 126 seats. The BJP may get 61-65 seats, AGP 9-13 and UPPL 5-7. The Congress-led 'Mahajath' is expected to garner 40-50 seats and others may get 1-4 seats whereas ABP News-CVoter exit poll said that BJP-led NDA is predicted to get 58-71 seats and Congress-led 'Mahajath' 53-66 seats and others 0-3 seats.
In Kerala, Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan will create history by retaining the state, according to exit polls predictions. In this southern state, which has been choosing between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), no political party has ruled for two consecutive terms in the last four decades but Pinnarayi Vijayan-led LDF has a clear lead. In the 140-member Kerala assembly, the majority mark is 71.
In the Union Territory Puducherry, which witnessed a bipolar contest between the Congress and N Rangaswamy’s All India NR Congress with an alliance with the BJP and AIADMK, has chosen NDA, according to the exit polls predictions. In the 30 member assembly, the majority mark is 16.
