Rajasthan Exit Polls: Pollsters Say Big Fat Victory for Congress in the State

New Delhi: With polling day in Rajasthan coming to a close on Friday, all major exit polls handed a unanimous and comfortable victory to Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot-led Congress in the state, predicting a par-101 majority result for the party.

From a total of 200 seats in Rajasthan, India Today’s Axis poll put the Congress anywhere in the range of 119 to 141 seats, while predicting a loss of about a 100 seats for the BJP.

According to the poll, Vasundhara Raje-led BJP would fall short of the mark and get anywhere between 55-72 seats.

The Times Now CNX poll gave a more conservative estimate and predicted 105 to the Congress and handed 85 seats to the BJP and 2 seats to other parties and independents.

The News X Neta poll also gave a majority result for the Congress, predicting 112 seats for the party. The poll gave the BJP 80 seats and predicted seven seats for other parties.

The C Voter poll on Republic TV also predicted a Congress win in the state. The C Voter poll handed the Congress 137 seats and predicted 60 for the BJP.

The only poll to give the BJP an edge in the state was the ‘Jan Ki Baat’ poll on Republic TV. The poll predicted a photo finish in Rajasthan, handing the BJP 83 to 103 seats, 81 to 101 seats to the Congress and 15 seats for others and independents.

Among the five states going to poll, political analysts had given an early upper hand for the Congress in Rajasthan leading up to poll date. Early predictions had handed the grand old party a clean sweep in the state, predicting a continuation of customary change of governments every five years in the state.

However, following the release of candidates’ list of both major parties, the BJP appeared to have covered some ground. The Congress, however, remained confident of riding the anti-incumbency wave and forming a government in the state.

The Congress has not yet revealed their Chief Ministerial candidate, with state Congress president Pilot and former CM Gehlot both in the fray.

Pilot, a former MP, contested his first Assembly elections this time from Tonk constituency, while Gehlot, a veteran, fought from Sardarpura.