Exit polls predict close contest in West Bengal, & 3 other States & 1 UT

On Wednesday, a number of exit polls indicated that the BJP would win handily in Assam and gave a decisive advantage over the incumbent TMC in West Bengal. They also predicted that the DMK government would return to power in Tamil Nadu and that the Congress-led UDF would make a ten year comeback in Kerala.

However several pollsters expected a hung house in Tamil Nadu and a significant victory for the TMC in West Bengal, with actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK emerging as a DMK spoiler.

What Exit-Poll forecast indicate for 4 states and 1 UT?

According to the exit polls, these are the predictions:

• The Congress-led alliance will win 78-90 seats in Kerala. The ruling Left Front would receive around 49-62 seats. It is anticipated that the NDA will receive 0-3 seats.
• The polls predicted a close contest in Tamil Nadu between Vijay’s TVK and the ruling DMK. TVK made electoral debut this time. Vijay’s party was predicted to win 98-120 seats, while Stalin’s was predicted to win 92-100. With 22-32 seats, the state’s leading candidate, the NDA, fell to third place.
• In Assam, the BJP coalition are predicted to receive 88-100 seats. The Congress front to receive 24-36 seats. The NDA is expected to win Assam with ease. Others are predicted between zero and three seats in the elections, while the AIUDF is anticipated to receive nothing.

• The DMK-Congress coalition is predicted to win 6-8 seats in Puducherry, wheres the NDA alliance is predicted to win 16-20 seats. The exit polls stated that the TVK will probably receive two to four assembly seats. There are total 30 seats available in the UT.
• For Bengal, the ground report indicates CM Mamata Banerjee’s Bengali identity and personal appeal may keep the contest much closer than the predictions suggest. However, the major exit polls give the BJP and advantage in West Bengal. Despite 15 years of anti-incumbency against the ruling Trinamool Congress, the ‘Bangla Asmita’ factor is huge. It is based on cultural identity and regional pride. It seems to continue to resonate with voters, possibly limiting the scope of any BJP surge.