A poll of seven exit polls predicted 42-49 seats for the BJP in the Assembly election to end its 27-year jinx, signalling an end of Arvind Kejriwal's winning streak in Delhi after three back-to-back victories. The final results will be declared on February 8.
According to a poll of election experts, the Arvind Kejriwal-led ruling party garnered 20-28 seats and ended the winning streak of the outfit, which had emerged victorious in three successive elections since 2013.
A defeat for the AAP would also raise questions over the future of the political party, which emerged from an anti-corruption movement in 2011.
The 70-member Assembly has a majority mark of 36. In 2020, the AAP secured 62 out of the 70 seats with an impressive vote share of 53.57 per cent.
The BJP won eight seats with a 38.51 per cent vote share. It received 4.26 per cent votes for the Congress. Others polled 3.66 percent votes. In 2015, the AAP secured 67 seats with a vote share of 54.6 percent.
According to the claims of pollsters, it was a win for the BJP in the freebie race for this election, and the mega increase in income tax exemption relief from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh has tipped the balance in favor of the party which is led from the front by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
An exit poll by People's Pulse projected a sweep by the BJP with 51-60 votes while an exit poll by Matrize projected a tough fight with 35-40 seats for the BJP and 32-37 seats for the AAP. However, Mind Brink predicted 44-49 seats for the AAP giving 15-21 to the BJP and one seat to the Congress.
AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar rubbished the exit polls and predicted 58 seats for the AAP and around 12 seats for the BJP. She also accused the ruling party of violating the poll code and misusing the official machinery, ranging from the Delhi Police and the Election Commission.
BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri, who challenged Chief Minister Atishi in Kalkaji, claimed that the BJP would cross the 50-seat mark when the results were declared. "The BJP is going to comfortably form the government," he said.
The Congress, for the third successive Assembly election, is unlikely to spring a surprise as no exit poll gave it more than three seats.
As the exit poll reports began trickling in, Delhi BJP Virendra Sachdeva said that he is very sure that the BJP is going to form a government and that all the promises, including paying Rs 2,500 per month to all women, made by the party would be cleared by its new government in its first Cabinet meeting.
"I thank Delhi voters for voting for a double-engine government in Delhi," he said.
An exit poll by JVC gave the BJP 39-45 seats and projected 22-31 seats for AAP and 0-2 seats for Congress.
People's Insights predicted a victory for the BJP with 40-44 seats and gave 25-29 seats to AAP.
Another exit poll by Chanakya Strategies gave 39-44 seats to the BJP and 25-28 seats to the AAP. The poll gave the Congress 2-3 seats.
An exit poll by P-Marq said the BJP will comfortably romp home with a clear majority with 39-49 seats. The poll gave the AAP 21-31 seats.
DV-Research gave 36-44 seats to the BJP, projecting 26-24 seats for the AAP and none to the Congress.
Read also| PM Modi Describes Maha Kumbh Visit as a Confluence of Faith, Devotion, and Spirituality
Read also| Watch | PM Modi Takes Holy Dip at Sangam During Maha Kumbh
