Lok Sabha elections: Several exit polls predict big win for BJP-led NDA

The exit polls also predicted that BJP would this time be able to make some headway in southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

BySouth First Desk

Published Jun 01, 2024 | 9:50 PM Updated Jun 01, 2024 | 9:50 PM

Voters at a polling booth in the Himalayas on Saturday, 1 June, 2024.

Several exit polls on Saturday, 1 June, predicted that the BJP-led NDA would win the Lok Sabha elections and form government for a third straight term.

The margin of win would be significant enough for the NDA to stake a claim on its own, said the exit polls.

The exit polls also predicted that the saffron party would this time be able to make some headway in southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

However, they also predicted that BJP could lose a few seats in states where it usually performs well, like Bihar, Rajasthan, and Haryana.

The counting of votes — after the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls that took place from 19 April to 1 June — will take place on 4 June.

Also Read: Women voters, transfer of votes will be decisive factors in Lok Sabha polls

The exit polls

Today’s Chanakya predicted that the NDA would bag around 400 seats this time, true to BJP’s poll slogan “Ab ki baar, 400 paar“.

It added that the Congress-led INDIA bloc would get more or less 107 seats, while others would bag 36.

The Republic TV-P Marq poll said the NDA would win up to 359 seats and the INDIA bloc would bag 154 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

The Republic TV-Matrize poll gave 353-368 seats to the NDA and 118-133 seats to the Opposition.

The Jan Ki Baat poll gave 362-392 seats to the ruling NDA and 141-161 to the opposition alliance.

The India TV-CNX gave them 371-401 and 109-139 seats respectively, while the corresponding tally predicted by News Nation was 342-378 and 153-169.

In the 2019 polls, BJP won 303 seats, while the NDA tally was 353. Congress bagged 53 seats and its allies 38.

The halfway mark — after which a political party or coalition may stake claim to form the government — is 272.

Also read: How an alliance shapes up for winning election

Political reactions

After the final phase of voting ended on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exuded confidence that people had voted in record numbers to re-elect the NDA government.

He added that the “opportunistic INDI Alliance” failed to strike a chord with the voters who rejected their “regressive politics”.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters after a meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc that the alliance will win more than 295 seats.

“We have arrived at this figure after speaking with all our leaders. This is a survey of people. People have given this information to our leaders. The government surveys are there and their media friends also inflate figures and put it out. Therefore, we want to tell you about the reality,” he said.

BJP president JP Nadda, however, asserted that people have voted for a capable, powerful, developed and self-reliant India and to put aside appeasement, nepotism and corruption, exuding confidence that his party will win more than 370 Lok Sabha seats and the NDA over 400.

(With PTI inputs)