It that seems the BJP, despite putting all its resources in the high stake West Bengal Assembly polls, will fail to cross the halfway mark to dislodge the Mamata Banerjee-led government in the state.
As per the CVoter Exit Poll for Times Now/ABP data, the incumbent Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee is likely to retain power for the third consecutive term despite facing a huge challenge from the BJP.
The BJP is projected to win 115 seats in the 294-member Bengal Assembly, 33 short of the halfway mark of 148 seats. The BJP, however, will gain 112 seats in comparison to its performance in the last Assembly polls in which the saffron party had won only three seats.
The exit poll shows that despite losing grounds, the Trinamool will still manage to win 158 seats, 10 more than the magic figure of 148.
The exit poll shows data for 292 seats in West Bengal, as elections in two seats were withheld after the deaths of the candidates.
The exit poll shows that the Left, which had ruled the state for more than three decades, is likely to be reduced to a marginal player, despite having a pre-poll alliance with the Congress.
The alliance of Congress, Left and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) of Furfura Sharif's influential cleric Abbas Siddiqui is projected to win 19 seats, 59 less than what it had won in the last polls.
The exit polls projected a seat range of 152 to 164 for the ruling Trinamool, 109 to 121 for the BJP and 14 to 25 for the Congress and its alliance partners.
The exit poll shows that the Trinamool is expected to secure 42.1 per cent votes. In 2016, the party had got 44.9 per cent votes, marking a dip of 2.8 per cent in its vote share in this year's poll.
The vote share of the BJP, which has emerged as the main challenger to the ruling Trinamool, is expected to witness a huge jump of 29 per cent from 10.2 per cent in 2016 to 39.2 per cent in 2021.
The exit poll shows that the vote share of the Left-Congress combine is expected to see a huge decline of 22.6 per cent from 38.0 per cent in 2016 to 15.4 per cent in 2021.
As per the data, the BJP making its presence felt in all the regions of the state. Of the 26 seats in the Deltaic region, the BJP is winning 12 and the Trinamool is winning 14 seats.
In the Greater Kolkata region, considered a Trinamool stronghold, the BJP will make inroads as it is likely to win 17 seats of the 56 seats, while the ruling party is likely to win 38 seats. The Congress and its alliance partners are projected to win one seat in the Greater Kolkata region.
Of the 53 seats in the Highland region, the BJP is projected to win 24, Trinamool 26 and the Congress-led alliance three.
The exit poll shows that of the 63 seats in the Northern Border, the ruling Trinamool is likely to win 30 seats, while challenger BJP is projected to win 21 seats. The Congress alliance expected to win 12 seats.
In the Northern Hills, of the 28 seats, the BJP projected to win 15 seats while Banerjee's Trinamool is expected to win 12 seats. The Congress and its alliance partners are projected to win only one seat.
Of the 66 seats in the Southern plain, the Trinamool is likely to win 38 seats, while the BJP is projected to win 26 seats. Two seats in the region are likely to be won by the Congress alliance.
