Exit poll predictions correct this time

New Delhi, Dec 8: Exit poll predictions were mostly bang on as election result trends Sunday showed the BJP heading for a massive win in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and a close call in Delhi and Chhattisgarh.

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) has made a stunning debut as predicted in Delhi, while the Congress was completely routed.

While actual results are still to come in, the trends from the four states clearly show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 146 seats to the Congress’ 69 in Madhya Pradesh, and in Rajasthan the party was leading in 135 seats to the Congress’ 32.

In Chhattisgarh, the BJP has a slight edge over the Congress, while in Delhi the party was leading in 36 seats, to the Congress’s poor 10 seats. The AAP was leading in 22 seats.

Exit poll projections by India TV-CVoter on Dec 4, the last day of the elections to the five states, including Mizoram, had predicted that the BJP would retain Madhya Pradesh with a massive mandate and wrest Rajasthan from the Congress, while fall short of a majority in Chhattisgarh. Delhi and Mizoram would see hung assemblies, it said.

The ABP News-Neilsen exit poll had predicted a win for the BJP in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. It did not give the outcome of surveys in the other states.

The CNN-IBN-The Week survey said the BJP will win in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

A post-poll survey by CNN-IBN and The Week on Dec 6 for Delhi predicted the BJP may scrape through to a majority, winning between 32 and 42 seats, while the AAP would make a "stunning debut".

The CNN-IBN-The Week study also projects massive losses for the ruling Congress in Delhi.

It said the AAP may get between 13 and 21 seats in the 70-member assembly and the Congress may get between nine and 17 seats.