Exit polls: AAP surge in Punjab, BJP set to regain UP, photo-finish in Uttarakhand, Goa; saffron sweep in Manipur

Agencies
Chandigarh, March 7

Several exit polls forecast a clear majority for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab while being mixed in their predictions for Uttarakhand.

Exit polls on CNN News 18, Republic TV, and News X channels showed the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) getting 211-277 seats and its main challenger in the Samajwadi Party-led alliance getting anywhere between 119 and 160 seats in Uttar Pradesh. CNN News 18 predicted 262-277 seats for the BJP and allies and 119-134 for the SP and allies in the 403-member state assembly.

Most of them were also unanimous in predicting a big win for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP in Punjab, with one exit poll on India Today projecting up to 76-90 seats in the 117-member assembly.

TV9 Bharatvarsh-Polstrat, however, predicted 56-61 seats for the AAP in Punjab, making it the frontrunner.

The ruling Congress was mostly predicted to be securing the second spot in Punjab.

In Uttarakhand, Both the Congress and the BJP were favoured by different exit polls to win the assembly polls. Some exit polls predicted a hung assembly in Goa while forecasting the BJP to have an edge over rivals in Manipur.

Five states voted in seven phases that began on February 10.

Uttar Pradesh voted in all seven phases, Uttarakhand and Goa voted in the second phase, Punjab voted in the third phase. Manipur voted in two phases—February 28 and March 5.

Votes will be counted on March 10.

PUNJAB

UTTAR PRADESH