UP poll no cakewalk, BJP to lose 108 seats

Pre-poll survey of 5 states says ruling BJP poised to retain power in all four states under its rule, Punjab headed for hung assembly

Ajay Jha | NT with agency inputs

New Delhi: A pre-poll opinion poll conducted in the five election- bound states reveal that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could be poised to retain power in all four states under its rule, while Punjab may be headed to elect a hung assembly in which the state’s ruling Congress party is seen as trailing behind the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The survey conducted by the independent news channel ABP News CVOTER has said that BJP and its allies will win the majority comfortably in Uttar Pradesh by winning between 203 and 221 seats in the 403-member legislative assembly, standing to lose 108 seats. The Samajwadi Party is projected to win 156 seats, BSP 18 seats and Congress 8.

The BJP is also set to garner around 40.7 per cent of votes, the SP 31.1 per cent, BSP 15.1 per cent, and INC 8.9 per cent. The projected range of seats for BJP and its allies is 213-221 and for SP and its allies, 152-160. The fight, therefore is between the BJP and SP with the difference coming down to around 60 seats.

In neighbouring Uttarakhand though, the BJP may just manage to cross the halfway mark by winning between 36 and 40 seats in the 70-member assembly, while it is in for some tough times in Goa and Manipur.

In India’s smallest state Goa’s 40-member assembly BJP is projected to win between 19 and 23 seats. The only solace for the BJP is that its archrival Congress is trailing far behind with 2-6 seats, while AAP may emerge as the secondlargest party in the coastal state by winning 3 -7 seats.

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