Exit poll highlights: Congress sees a lot of hope in 3 states

Most exit polls have predicted a close contest between the ruling BJP and Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In Rajasthan all polls have predicted that the Congress may unseat the Vasundhara Raje government. The Congress may lose Mizoram, its only bastion in the Northeast and is not likely to breach KCR's fortress in Telangana.

MP Exit polls 2018

Pollsters	Congress	BJP	Others
Times Now- CNX	89	126	15
India Today-Axis My India	104-122	102-120	4-11
C-Voter	110-126	90-106	6-22
Today's Chanakya	125 ± 12	103 ± 12	2 ± 5
Poll of Polls	112	109	9

Times Now-CNX first predicted that Shivraj Singh Chouhan may have won a fourth term for the BJP. But other polls, notably Today's Chanakya and India Today-Axis My India have predicted a closer contest, with slight advantage to Congress. So , will Rahul Gandhi's party spring a surprise here?


Rajasthan Exit Polls 2018

Pollsters	Congress	BJP	Others
Times Now- CNX	105	85	7
India Today-Axis My India	119-141	55-72	0
C-Voter	137	60	3
Jan Ki Baat	91	93	15
NEWSX-NETA	112	80	7

This is one state where pollsters are unanimous that the Congress is winning. Most of them predict the party to come to power with a comfortable majority. So, if exit polls are true, the Vasundhara Raje government is on its way out.

Chhattisgarh Exit Polls 2018

Pollsters	BJP	Congress	BSP+	Others
CVoter	35-42	42-50	3-7	-
News Nation	38-42	40-44	4-8	0-4
Times Now- CNX	46	35	7	2
India Today- Axis My India	21-31	55-65	-	-
Today's Chanakya	36 ± 8	50 ± 8	-	4 ± 3
Poll of Polls	39	45	-	6

The other BJP-ruled state which has confused most exit polls is Chhattisgarh. While Times Now-CNX predicted a comfortable win for BJP, others like India Today-Axis My India indicated that CM Raman Singh is on his way out.

Telangana Exit Polls 2018

Pollsters	TRS	Congress	BJP	AIMMM & Others
Times Now-CNX	66	37	7	9
India Today-Axis My India	79-91	21-33	1-3	4-7
Republic Jan Ki Baat	57	45	5	12
India TV	62-70	32-41	6-8	6-8

Congress has failed to make a breach in TRS leader K Chandrasekhar Rao's fortress in Hyderabad according to all exit polls. Most predicted a comfortable majority over the Congress-TDP Praja Kutami. KCR's strategy on calling an early poll may have paid off, after all.

Mizoram Exit Polls 2018

Pollsters	BJP	Congress	MNF	Others
CVoter-Republic TV	NA	14-18	16-20	0-3
India Today- Axis My India	NA	0-12	16-22	1-12
Times Now- CNX	0	16	18	6
Republic Jan Ki Baat	NA	NA	NA	NA
India Today	NA	NA	NA	NA

Exit polls indicate the MNF will gain at the expense of the Congress, with the conservative ZPM having a chance of playing kingmaker. The ZPM can swing either way, depending on the numbers. The Congress is at a risk of losing its only bastion in the Northeast.

All indications are that it may be a nail-biter of a finish on December 11, when votes are counted. Can the Congress pull off surprise wins, or will the BJP come back to power in the big Hindi heartland states? It could turn out to be a photo finish.