Exit Polls: BJP set to retain power in Maha, Haryana

mangaloretoday.com/ yahoo

Mumbai, Oct 21: With voting for the single-phase assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra ending on Monday, a series of exit polls have predicted a sweeping majority for the ruling BJP in both the states.

Four separate exit polls estimated that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance would return to power in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, with two of them giving more than 200 seats to the ruling combine. On the other hand, pollsters have predicted an emphatic victory for the incumbent BJP government in Haryana, with three exit polls predicting that the saffron party will win over 70 seats.

The run-up to the vote witnessed a campaign which was dominated by the BJP’s aggressive narrative on the nullification of Article 370 and marked by the Opposition’s lacklustre canvassing. The results for Maharashtra’s 288 seats and Haryana’s 90 seats will be announced on October 24.

While Maharashtra will witness a battle of two alliances—the BJP and Shiv Sena on one hand, and the Congress-NCP on the other, Haryana will see a multi-cornered contest.