Early Diwali? BJP likely to return to power in Maharashtra, Haryana with 2/3rd majority, predicts poll of polls

It looks like that the Diwali will come early for the BJP on October 24 as the party is set to storm to power in both Maharastra and Haryana with improved seat tally, exit polls have estimated.  

Exit polls conducted by various agencies have predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will return to power in Maharastra and Haryana, polling for which were held on Monday, with the saffron party looking at a two-third majority in both states. 

Voting for the Maharashtra and Haryana state elections were held on Monday along with bypolls to over 50 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats. Counting of votes for all seats will be conducted on October 24.

Both the states are ruled by the BJP.

Here are seat estimates by different polling agencies

In Maharashtra, where the BJP is contesting the state polls in an alliance - Mahayuti - with Shiv Sena and some other smaller allies, the saffron alliance will win close to 200 seats in the 288-member assembly, most exit polls have predicted. 

In Haryana, where the BJP is being challenged by the main opposition Congress and regional parties JJP and INLD, the exit polls have predicted that the ruling party will further improve its performance. 

Maharashtra Exit Polls

The exit poll conducted by TV9 Marathi has predicted that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will get 197 seats in the assembly election. The Congress-NCP combine, on the other hand, will be restricted to 75 seats. Other smaller parties and independents will be able to secure victory on 16 seats, the exit poll said. 

The exit poll conducted by Jan Ki Baat has estimated 223 seats for the ruling alliance and a meagre 55 seats in the 288-member assembly for the Congress-NCP. It has not given any seat to other parties or independents. The exit poll conducted by Jan Ki Baat was broadcast by Republic TV. 

Maharashtra Assembly Election Results 2019 Live Updates

In another poll conducted by Times Now, the BJP-Shiv Sena is estimated to win 230 seats while Congress-NCP combine will not cross the 50-mark and is likely to stop at 48. Other parties, however, will get 10 seats in the assembly election, the TV channel said.

A poll conducted by News 18-Ipsos has estimated 243 seat seats for the ruling alliance while it predicts that Congress-NCP will get 41 seats. The pollster estimated 4 seats for other parties. 

The least number of seats have been given by Axis My India poll. The poll telecast on India Today said the BJP-Shiv Sena will win 166-194 seats while the Congress-NCP will get 70-90 seats. Others are likely to get 22-32 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.

The poll conducted by CVoter has also given more than 200 seats to the alliance of the BJP and the Shiv Sena. The pollster has estimated that the ruling parties will together get 204 seats while the opposition Congress-NCP will be restricted to 69 seats. The polls, which was released by ABP News said other parties and independents will win 15 seats in the elections. 

The poll of polls of these 6 exit polls shows that BJP-Shiv Sena combine will easily cross 200-mark and is likely to win 212 seats. The Congress-NCP combine, on the other hand, will barely cross 60-mark. The average of all the 6 exit polls gives the opposition alliance 61 seats while other parties' candidates may win in 15 assembly constituencies. 

In 2014 elections which the BJP and Shiv Sena contested separately, the two parties won 122 and 63 seats (185 together), respectively. The Congress and the NCP - who fought the election together - won 42 and 41 seats (83 together), respectively. 

Haryana Exit Polls

The exit poll conducted by Cicero and telecast by TV9 has predicted that the BJP will get 69 seats in the assembly election. The Congress, on the other hand, will be restricted to 11 seats. Other smaller parties and independents will be able to secure victory on 10 seats, the exit poll said. 

The exit poll conducted by Jan Ki Baat has estimated 57 seats for the saffron party and 17 seats in the 90-member assembly for the Congress. It has given 16 seats to other parties or independents. The exit poll conducted by Jan Ki Baat was broadcast by Republic TV. 

Haryana Assembly Election Results 2019 Live Updates

In another poll conducted by Times Now, the BJP is estimated to win 71 seats while Congress will cross the two-digit mark and is likely to stop at 11. Other parties will get 8 seats in the assembly election, the TV channel said.

A poll conducted by News 18-Ipsos has estimated 75 seats for the ruling party while it predicts that the Congress will get 10​ seats. The pollster estimated 5 seats for other parties. 

The poll conducted by CVoter has given 72 seats to the BJP. The pollster has estimated that the Congress will not cross two digits and will only win 8 seats. The polls, which was released by ABP News said other parties and independents will win 10 seats in the elections. 

The poll of polls of these five exit polls shows that BJP will win 69 seats. The Congress, on the other hand, will barely cross the 2-digit mark and is likely to get 11 seats. The average of all the 6 exit polls gives other opposition parties 10 seats. 

In the last polls held in 2014, the BJP had won 47 seats and added one more seat after winning Jind bypoll earlier this year. The INLD had won 19 seats in the assembly while the Congress had 15 legislators.

Besides assembly polls in two states, bypolls to 51 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha constituencies - spread across 18 states - were also held. The maximum 11 seats are in Uttar Pradesh, followed by six in Gujarat, five in Bihar, four in Assam and two each in Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Bypolls were also being held in Punjab (4 seats), Kerala (5 seats), Sikkim (3 seats), Rajasthan (two seats) and one seat each in Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Puducherry, Meghalaya and Telangana.

Bypolls to two Lok Sabha seats - Satara in Maharashtra and Samastipur in Bihar held by NCP and LJP respectively - were also conducted.