Several exit polls give edge to BJP-led alliances in Maharashtra, Jharkhand


Several exit polls gave a clear edge to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliances in the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, while some projected that the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition may emerge on top in Maharashtra.

In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, 145 is the majority mark, while it is 41 in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly. The BJP-Shiv-Sena-Nationalist Congress Party alliance is in power in Maharashtra, while the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Congress is ruling in Jharkhand.

In Maharashtra, the P-MARQ exit polls predicted 137-157 seats, with 42% vote share, for the ruling Mahayuti alliance and 126-146 seats, with 41% vote share, for the MVA. It gave two to eight seats to others.

The Matrize exit poll predicted 150-170 seats, with 48% vote share, for the Mahayuti, and 110-130 seats, with 42% vote share, to the MVA. It gave eight to 10 seats, with 10% vote share, to others.

According to Electoral Edge, the MVA is likely to win 150 seats and the Mahayuti 118 seats, while others could bag 20 seats. Poll Diary predicted 122-186 seats for the Mahayuti, 69-121 for the MVA, and 10-27 seats for others, while Chanakya Strategies said the Mahayuti could come back to power with 152-160 seats, and the MVA would get 130-138 seats.

The exit polls by Lokpoll gave the MVA 151-162 seats, with 43-46% vote share, the Mahayuti 115-128 seats, with 37%-40% vote share, and between five and 14 seats to others.

In Jharkhand, Axis My India projected a landslide victory for Chief Minister Hemant Soren. It has given 53 seats to the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and 25 to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Matrize gave 42-47 seats to the NDA and 25-30 seats to the INDIA bloc and 0-4 seats to others. Chanakya Strategies has given 45-50 seats to the NDA and 35-38 seats to INDIA; Dainik Bhaskar 37-40 to the NDA and 36-39 to INDIA; Electoral Edge 32 to the NDA and 42 to INDIA; and Matrize 42-47 to the NDA and 25-30 to INDIA.