After exit polls predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was set to retain power at the Center with a landslide and register its third consecutive victory in India’s 2024 general elections, Chief Minister Goa’s Pramod Sawant said exit polls show 360 seats in favor of the NDA, but the exact polls on June 4 will show more than 400 seats, news agency ANI reported.
Talking about the different exit polls released on Saturday, Pramod Sawant said, “Different channels and agencies are showing different data about today’s exit polls, but one thing is certain: the BJP-led NDA is winning almost 360 seats according to the exit polls,” ANI reported.
He added: “Exit polls show 360 seats, but when the exact polls come on June 4, the NDA will secure more than 400 seats…”
Taking a jibe at the Congress, Sawant said, “Certainly, the Congress’s decision to participate in the exit poll debates shows that they have accepted their defeat…” ANI reported.
Exit polls predicted that the BJP-led NDA is set to improve its performance from its record of 2019, when it won 352 seats. Two exit polls predicted that the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The BJP-led NDA improved its numbers in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls compared to the 2014 elections. It is again set for an upward trajectory, the exit polls predicted. Pollsters gave varying numbers to the INDIA block, a group of parties opposed to the BJP, but predicted it will fare better than the Congress-led UPA in 2019.
The Republic PMarq exit poll gave 359 out of 543 seats to the NDA, 154 to the INDIA block and 30 to others. The Republic Matrize poll gave 353-368 seats to the NDA, 118-113 to the INDIA block and 43-48 to others. NewsX Dynamics gave 371 seats to the NDA, 125 to the INDIA block and 47 to others.
The NewsX Dynamics exit poll also predicted seats for different parties and said the Congress will improve marginally from its tally of 52 seats in 2019.
He said the BJP is set to win 315 seats, improving on its figure of 303 seats in 2019. The NewsX Dynamics exit poll predicted the Congress to win 60 seats, DMK 22, Trinamool Congress 19, TDP 13, JD(U ) 11, Shiv Sena (UBT) five, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) five, Shiv Sena eight, BJD eight, YSRCP seven, NCP four, Samajwadi Party 10, Rashtriya Janata Dal five, National Conference three, AAP three, AIADMK five, BRS two and JD(S) two seats.
The result of the exit poll was announced after the conclusion of voting for the seventh and final phase of India’s 2024 general elections on Saturday.
(With contributions from ANI)