Exit polls predict victory for Congress in Haryana, gives an edge to its alliance with National Conference in J&K

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda seemed confident that Congress will form the next government in Haryana; results of the Assembly election will be announced on October 8

A majority of the exit polls on Saturday (October 5, 2024) predicted a clear majority for the Congress in Haryana while its alliance with the National Conference had an edge in Jammu and Kashmir with NC being projected as the single largest party.

Former Chief Minister of J&K and NC leader Omar Abdullah, however, dismissed the exit polls as “time pass” while former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda seemed confident that Congress will form the next government in the State.

“We are forming the government with a comfortable majority,” Mr. Hooda told reporters at his Rohtak residence.

Also read | Haryana Assembly elections Highlights (October 5, 2024)

Taking a contrary view to that of exit polls, Mr Abdullah said in an X post: “I’m amazed channels are bothering with exit polls especially after the fiasco of the recent general elections. I’m ignoring all the noise on channels, social media, WhatsApp Etc because the only numbers that matter will be revealed on the 8th of Oct. The rest is just time pass.”

The results of the Assembly elections will be announced on October 8.

In J&K, where Assembly polls are being held after a decade and the first after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, Axis My India-The Red Mike poll has given the NC-Congress alliance a range of 35-45 seats, closely followed by the BJP that is predicted to win between 24 and 34. While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)is expected to win four to six seats; others that include smaller regional parties could win anywhere between 8-23 seats.

The C-Voter-India Today survey put the NC-Congress alliance at 40-48 seats and the BJP at 27-32 seats in the 90-member Assembly of the Union Territory of J&K. According to this survey, PDP will get 6-12 seats while others could bag 6-11 seats.

The Dainik Bhaskar poll has forecast the NC-Congress alliance to get 35-40 seats while the BJP could get 20-25 seats.

In Haryana, most exit polls have forecast a clearer mandate for the 90-member Assembly.

Axis My India predicted a sweep for the Congress by pegging its tally at 53-65 seats. The BJP is expected to win 18-28 while others, that include Jannayak Janata Party, Indian National Lok Dal and Aam Aadmi Party, could bag three to eight seats.

The India Today-C Voter survey has 50-58 seats for the Congress, 20-28 seats for the BJP and 10-16 seats for others while Dainik Bhaskar’ predicted the Congress getting 44-54 seats, the BJP 15-29 seats and others winning 5-15 seats in the Haryana Assembly.

J&K polls: Omar Abdullah rejects exit poll predictions

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday dismissed the exit poll results for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and said only the numbers coming out at the end of counting on October 8 will matter.

“I’m amazed channels are bothering with exit polls especially after the fiasco of the recent general elections. I’m ignoring all the noise on channels, social media, WhatsApp Etc because the only numbers that matter will be revealed on the 8th of Oct. The rest is just time pass,” Mr. Abdullah posted on X.

The results of the Assembly elections will be announced on October 8.

Published - October 05, 2024 07:54 pm IST