Poll of Polls: Tight Race in Jharkhand, but NDA Holds Advantage

The poll of exit polls in Jharkhand predicts a tough battle with most of them sharply divided on the projections of the BJP-led NDA and the JMM-led INDIA Bloc in the state Assembly elections.

As per projections by the polling agencies, the tribal state of Jharkhand may witness a close finish with some exit polls projecting a clean sweep for BJP, some favoring JMM while one polling agency forecasting a hung house.

An aggregate of six exit polls shows three giving clear victory for BJP-led NDA, two predicting results in favour of the ruling JMM while one forecasting a hung house in the 81-member Assembly.

As per the Matrize exit poll, NDA is likely to garner 42-47 seats while the INDIA Bloc is seen bagging 25-30 seats.

TimesNow-JVC predicted that BJP and its allies would bag 40-44 seats, while the INDIA Bloc would give a stiff competition, eventually settling down between 30-40 seats.

People's Pulse projects the BJP-led NDA to have an absolute and decisive mandate, and Hemant Soren-led alliance to have a rout. According to the findings, the BJP was expected to garner 42-48 seats, whereas INDIA Bloc could not manage to bag more than 16-23 seats. AJSU could also bag 2-5 seats.

The two exits projecting people's mandate in favor of the INDIA Bloc are Axis My India and P Marq. While there would be an expected drubbing for Jharkhand's ruling coalition, there is some consolation in the sense that it is Axis My India, which has had many right projections lately, that has given the decisive mandate.

The JMM is likely to bag 49-59 seats while the BJP-led alliance is likely to perform very poorly at around 17-27 seats, according to Axis My India. The ruling alliance is expected to get 37-47 seats while the opposition falling behind closely with 30-40 seats, as cited by P Marq.

Dainik Bhaskar is the only polling agency that is predicting a hung house for Jharkhand. This shows people's mandate vertically divided with both alliances settling between 36-40 seats, moderately shorter than the halfway mark of 41.