New Delhi, Mar 9 (Agencies) : The exit polls for Assembly elections to five states – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, were announced on Thursday.
The five states went to polls from February 4 to March 8, 2017.
The biggest scramble is for UP’s 403 seats where campaign saw the bitterest battle of them all with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi throwing in his might to up the chances of his party.
The faction-ridden party in power, the Samajwadi Party, has found an unlikely ally in the Congress in these elections, but whether they can notch up 2012’s SP tally of 224 seats is anybody’s guess.
Some predict that the BSP – last tally 80 seats – can emerge the dark horse.
The BJP had swept the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2014 with 71 of the 80 seats.
117 constituencies in Punjab voted on a single day on February 4. Things look a little tough for incumbent Chief Minister and BJP ally, SAD’s Parkash Singh Badal.
In 2012, the Congress was the single largest party with 46 seats but the SAD-BJP alliance came to power with 68. BJP won 12 seats in 2012.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is said to be a major contender in Punjab, with some opinion polls ahead of the elections predicting a victory for it.
Congress has been in power in Manipur for three terms now but the economic blockade and the resultant violence may have dented its chances a bit.
Congress had got 42 seats to Trinamool Congress’ 7 in the last elections.
The Aam Aadmi Party makes its debut this year in Goa to see if it can get a few of its 40 seats. Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar led the NDA charge in Goa this campaign. The BJP had got 21 and Congress 9. Analysts say the Goa Suraksha Manch, a new party on the block, may cut into the BJP voteshare this time.
Uttarakhand saw a revolt in the Congress last year when MLAs walked out from Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s party resulting in nearly two months of President’s Rule.
It was a close fight in 2012 with the BJP winning 31 and the Congress 32 seats. This time, the results could be different.