March 10, 2022 can’t arrive soon enough! Five states went to polls this year, including Uttar Pradesh, the land of high-octane politics and rallies. But who’s going to win where? The India Today-Axis My India exit poll has assessed the direction in which the wind is blowing.
Here are the exit poll results:
1. UTTAR PRADESH
403 assembly seats. Seven phases of voting. Magic number – 202.
Will BJP retain Uttar Pradesh? Will Yogi Adityanath get a second tenure as Chief Minister? Or will Akhilesh Yadav make a comeback with SP and gathbandhan?
- BJP is expected to win 288-326 seats.
- Samajwadi Party is expected to clinch 71-101 seats.
- Congress is predicted to win just about 1-3 seats.
- BSP 3-9 seats and others 2-3 seats.
- Incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has 45% favour as the most preferred CM.
- 35% of people prefer Akhilesh Yadav as the CM.
- Mayawati enjoys only 12% favour, while Priyanka Gandhi of Congress is at a mere 1%.
2. PUNJAB
117 assembly seats. Magic number – 59.
Will Congress be able to retain one of its bastions? Will BJP be able to make a dent? Or will someone else sweep the state?
- AAP is expected to make a surprise sweep in Punjab with 76-90 seats.
- Congress is likely to incur major losses with only 19-31 seats, an estimated dip of 52 seats as compared to its 2017 win.
- SAD and allies are expected to win only 9-11 seats, another estimated dip of 6 seats from 2017.
- BJP is predicted to make a very minor dent (if it can be called that) with 1-4 seats, with no major gains or losses as compared to its performance in 2017.
- Others are expected to clinch 0-2 seats.
3. UTTARAKHAND
70 assembly seats. The number of seats needed to win – 36.
The hill state was rocked by two leadership changes in the BJP-led government in the last term. It is currently being helmed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
- BJP is expected to make a clear comeback in Uttarakhand with 44% of the votes or 36-46 seats. However, their gains are expected to be just above the margin.
- Congress is expected to win 20-30 seats.
- BSP is predicted to clinch 2-4 seats and others are expected to win 2-5 seats.
- Exit poll says people of Uttarakhand voted for the BJP largely due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity, signifying the lack of influence by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.
- 34% of people prefer Dhami as the CM, with Harish Rawat enjoying 31% of favour, very close to the incumbent.
4. MANIPUR
60 assembly seats. The number of seats needed to win – 31.
Congress lost power in this northeastern state due to defecting MLAs, and BJP formed a government as the result. But will Congress be able to win back the favour of the people or will the state, like other northeastern states, side with the BJP?
- BJP is predicted to have a comfortable sweep with 41% of the vote share or 33-43 seats.
- Congress is expected to lose majorly, with only about 4-8 seats in its kitty.
- Other regional parties like NPP and NPF are expected to win about 10-23 seats.
5. GOA
40 assembly seats. 21 seats to victory.
Goa is yet another state where Congress lost power to BJP due to defecting MLAs. The exit poll predicts a neck-and-neck fight between the BJP and Congress.
- BJP is expected to win 33% of the votes, but Congress is close behind right with an estimated 32% vote share.
- BJP is expected to win 14-18 seats, while Congress is predicted to win 15-20 seats; the highest number of seats compared to BJP in all of the 5 states.
- TMC along with the allies, who’ve dipped their toes far southwest, are expected to clinch 2-5 seats, with others winning 0-4 seats.