Exit poll predictions vary, but BJP, Cong confident of forming govts in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh

New Delhi [India], November 30 : As most exit polls predicted BJP returning to power in Madhya Pradesh and facing neck-to-neck competition with Congress in Rajasthan, leaders of both parties reacted to the projections claiming their parties are set to form governments in respective states.
Congress is projected to win in Chhattisgarh by the pollsters, but BJP has a clear advantage in Madhya Pradesh, most exit polls said on Thursday as they predicted Congress falling short in its poll effort in the state where it was expecting to gain from "anti-incumbency" against the government.
After the exit-poll predictions for Madhya Pradesh gave a clear edge to the incumbent BJP, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday thanked the women voters of the state, saying "Kaante ki takkar', 'Kaante ki takkar'.'Laadli behna ne saare kaante nikaal diye (What neck-to-neck fight? The daughters and sisters seems to have set us on the road to victory".
Speaking to ANI after the pollsters predicted a comfortable win for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, the CM said, "Wherever we went, women came out in numbers to extend a hearty welcome and show their support."
However, Congress dismissed the exit polls and said that the public is set to put a stamp on the Congress government in MP.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath appealed to the party workers not to get affected by most exit polls predicting a BJP win.
In a post on X, Congress leader Kamal Nath said, "I want to remind all Congress workers of their strength. You people are the power of Congress and it is because of your hard work and dedication that the public has voted overwhelmingly in support of the Congress Party. When the counting of votes begins on December 3, the public will put a stamp on the Congress government."
Stating that a country is run by vision, not by television, Kamal Nath said, "Many exit polls have shown Congress party forming the government while some exit polls are saying otherwise. Don't let all this distract you."
Meanwhile, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that people are fed up with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Congress is set to gain more than 130 seats in a 230-member Assembly.
Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishvas Sarang said, "BJP will form the govt in Madhya Pradesh comfortably, with a majority. I don't wish to comment on the exit polls."
An exit poll gave an advantage to the Congress and another predicted that the two parties were on an equal footing.
According to India Today-Axis My India prediction, the BJP will retain power in Madhya Pradesh by bagging 47 per cent vote share and 140-162 seats. It said Congress is likely to get 60-90 seats with a 41 per cent vote share. Others are expected to get 12 per cent votes and 0-3 seats.
According to the India TV-CNX poll, BJP is poised to get 48 per cent votes, Congress 38 per cent and others 16 per cent.
The poll predicted 140-159 seats for BJP, 70-89 seats for Congress and 0-2 for others.
The Times Now-ETG gave 43.83 per cent vote share to BJP, 42.23 per cent to Congress and 13.94 per cent to others.
BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur said that her party is forming govt in all states.
"A fight is obvious. People have voted for BJP's work," she said.
In Chhattisgarh, three exit polls predicted a clear victory for Congress, others said that the party was in the winning range. The Congress fought the election with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel at the helm.
According to ABP C-Voter predictions, Congress is poised to win 41-53 seats in the state which has a 90-member assembly. The exit poll said BJP is poised to get 36-48 seats and others 0-4 seats.
The India Today-Axis My India poll predicted Congress getting 40-50 seats, BJP 36-46 seats and others getting 1-5 seats. The Republic TV exit poll gave Congress 44-52 seats, BJP 34-42 seats and 0-2 polls for others.
India TV-CNX poll predicted 46- 56 seats for Congress, 30-40 seats for BJP and 3-5 for others. The numbers for Congress and BJP in the Jan Ki Baat exit poll were 42-53 and 34-45 respectively and it predicted 0-3 seats for others.
Hours after the exit poll projections gave Congress an edge over the BJP in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said his party was on course to secure a 'huge majority'. He added that while most pollsters are predicting the Congress tally at 57, the number will swell to 75 by the time the results are declared on December 3, the counting day.
Speaking to reporters after 5-7 exit poll projections put Congress in the lead, Baghel said the numbers quoted in these polls will stabilise in the next couple of days. "Are the numbers consistent in the seven exit polls? After two days, the numbers quoted in these exit-poll projections will stabilise and settle. Regardless of the exit-poll projections, we are confident of forming the government in Chhattisgarh with a handsome majority," Baghel told reporters on Thursday.
However, dismissing the exit poll projections, which put Congress in the lead in Chhattisgarh, state party chief and BJP leader Arun Sao said that the small sample size of exit polls does not reflect the exact situation adding that BJP is set to form government in the state after December 3.
Speaking to ANI, Chhattisgarh BJP President Arun Sao said, "These exit polls have a limited size. The sample size of the BJP is huge. Party workers have given us the data. I have been roaming in Chhattisgarh for the past 1.5 years. I have gone to each Vidhan Sabha and had conversations with people. On that basis, I can say that on December 3, the BJP will come to power."
Meanwhile in Telangana, exit polls on Thursday predicted that Congress is poised to form government in Telangana and that the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) would fall short of the majority after its 10-year rule in India's youngest state.
The polling for the 119-member Telangana concluded on Thursday and it was the last among five states that went to the polls this month. The outcome of exit polls was released after polling concluded in Telangana.
The Times Now-ETG exit poll gave 38 per cent vote share to BRS, 43 per cent to Congress and 13 per cent to others. It said the ruling party in the state is poised to win 37-45 seats, Congress 60-70 seats, BJP 6-8 and others 5-7 seats.
Republic TV exit poll gave Congress 58-69 seats and the BRS 46-56 seats. It said BJP could win 4 to 9 seats and others 5 to 8 seats.
The poll predicted a 41.60 per cent vote share for BRS, 43.30 per cent for Congress, 10.80 per cent for BJP and 4.30 for others.
The India TV-CNX exit poll predicted 63-79 seats for the Congress, 31-47 for the BRS, 0-2 for the BJP and 5-7 for others.
According to Jan ki Baat poll, Congress is poised to win 48 to 64 seats in Telangana. It said BRS could win 40 to 55 seats and BJP 7 to 13 seats.
Telangana recorded a voter turnout of 70.28 per cent.
On exit polls, Telangana BJP president and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said, "We can only comment after seeing all the exit polls and the local feedback. I haven't seen the exit polls yet and didn't have any conversation with the party..."
Telangana Minister and BRS leader KTR Rao called exit polls illogical and said, "People are still voting. It is ridiculous of the Election Commission of India also basically to allow for exit polls at 5:30 when people are queuing up to vote till 9 pm. I think it's very ludicrous. I've come here because I wanted to tell my party cadre that don't believe this nonsense."
Meanwhile, Telangana Congress president Revanth Reddy called it a victory for the Telangana people.
"This election was not Congress vs BRS. 4 crore people were against BRS. This is the victory of the people of Telangana. We will get the approval of the six guarantees and will make it an act in the first cabinet itself," he said.
"Congress is going to get landslide victory this time and the same thing is reflected in the exit polls. We are going to get over 80 seats. There is a screening committee, a selection committee and then the CWC has to take a call (for CM). In Congress, there is a process for everything. Being the PCC president, I will have to obey every order from the high command," he added.
In Rajasthan, the exit polls on Thursday reinforced the perception of a hard contest in the state, with differences in their prediction of the winner in the crucial Hindi heartland state that has a nearly three-decade tradition of not repeating an incumbent government.
While three exit polls predicted the BJP to be the clear winner, two others showed Congress was ahead in the sweepstakes to form the next government in the state.
The exit poll predictions showed that "others" including smaller parties and independents could play a crucial role in the formation of the government when the results are announced on December 3.
Rajasthan went to the polls on 199 of 200 assembly seats on November 25. The Congress government in the state led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot unleashed a series of populist schemes closer to the assembly election to ward off the challenge from the BJP.
BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said, "People want transformation. I am sure the BJP is forming the govt with a full majority in Rajasthan. The competition is limited to the exit polls only. The results of Dec 3 will be in favour of the BJP."
Congress leader Gourav Vallabh said, "There has been positive voting in Rajasthan. We got votes from all religious communities. The exit polls show that Congress will be forming the govt..."
Union Minister Prahlad Patel said, "I am saying this from the first day that I am seeing transformation in Madhya Pradesh like 2003. That time we were the Opposition and now we are the ruling govt. I feel we should wait for Dec 3."
"Exit polls are estimates. BJP is going to form the govt in Rajasthan with a massive mandate. We will repeat (govt) in Madhya Pradesh," Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said.
The two regional players in Mizoram -- MNF and ZPM -- are in the race to form government in Mizoram, exit polls said on Thursday with most predictions stating that the ruling party led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga has an advantage in the northeastern state while there is also a possibility of a hung assembly.