Despite NRC anger, exit polls project clean sweep for BJP in Assam

May 19: Assam, the most populous state in the northeast is going to bloom lotus as per exit polls in the Lok Sabha Election, 2019. Assam, a traditional Congress stronghold, had become the gateway to the region for the BJP as it had won an unprecedented seven seats in 2014 and formed the state government for the very first time in 2016. The Lok Sabha elections in Assam were held in three phases from April 11th to April 23rd, 2019. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 23rd, 2019.

Despite growing anger among the people of Assam on the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC), yet the exit polls project a saffron win overcoming all criticism. The poll battle was mainly between the BJP and Congress this time around too, with the influence of other prominent parties like All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) limited to their pockets of power.

The News18-IPSOS survey predicted the BJP dominating the Assam Lok Sabha polls with 8-10 seats, while the Congress is likely to be a distant second with 2-4 seats whereas the AIUDF is likely to get two seats. According to News Nation Exit Poll, BJP-led NDA may win 9-11 seats while Congress and its allies may get 2-6 seats in Assam.

Republic C-voter survey predicted a closer poll with the BJP likely to get seven seats and the Congress five, with others getting a single seat. The Chanakya-News24 predicted a BJP sweep with 10 seats, the Congress getting only three seats and others getting one seat.

Times Now-VMR Exit Poll for Assam offers 7 seats to Congress+AIUDF, six seats to BJP+ and one seat to others. As per India TV Exit Poll, BJP is expected to get 9 seats in Assam, Congress 2, AIUDF 2, others 1.

Assam accounts for 14 of the 25 seats in the region, was key to the BJPs act east policy, under which it aimed to make up for any losses in northern states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, with gains here and in Bengal and Odisha. While the exit polls for the Lok Sabha projects the consecutive win of BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress seems to exhibit little trust in such projections.