Exit Poll snippets

Exit polls aired by TV channels have pointed to Congress emerging as the single largest party and best placed to form a government along with its allies. BJP and its NDA partners are not too far behind with polls pointing to a close contest between the alliance and Congress-led UPA. Congress seems to have bolstered its prospects, according to exit polls, by staving off a mauling in Andhra Pradesh with projections in the range of 22 to 29 seats of the 42 in the state. If this prediction turns out to be correct, it could well be a significant marker in the elections as Congress would have blunted the combined TDP-TRS-Left front. The TDP was seen to have lost votes, with the CNN-IBN exit poll suggesting a steep drop of 7% in its vote share. The fledgling Praja Rajyam Party is seen to have dipped into the vote share of both Congress and TDP, particularly in the coastal areas. The sold backing of dalit and Muslim voters could be an important factor in keeping Congress afloat in the state. But projections for the state assembly point to a hung verdict. Exit polls also show that J Jayalalitha’s AIADMK-led alliance is not sweeping the elections. The Star poll shows DMK and Congress winning 25 seats to AIADMK’s nine, the PMK-MDMK three and CPM two. Only India TV gave the AIADMK alliance winning 26 seats even though the channel also gave a lead to Congress in Andhra Pradesh. There was good news for BJP in Madhya Pradesh where exit polls pointed to a near-sweep. According to exit poll pointers, BJP has been hurt by its poor performance in states like Punjab where its alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal is floundering. The party, however, seems poised to do well in states like Bihar.