Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

A survey of voters by India Today-Axis has predicted an easy win for the Bhartiya Janata Party in the poll-bound states of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. According to the survey, done on the voters in both the states, the saffron party is set to get 10% more votes than the other parties and this will make way for a comfortable win in the state.

The survey predicts BJP winning 43-47 seats in Himachal Pradesh. The state assembly has 68 seats and the Congress might get 21-25 seats. Election Commission has announced that the voting in Himachal Pradesh will take place on 8th November, however, there is no clarity yet on the poll date in Gujarat. According to sources, the EC might announce Gujarat Election date today.

In Gujarat, which is being considered as the biggest battle between the two parties in recent years, the survey has predicted a clear majority for BJP. In 182 member assembly, BJP is predicted to get 115-125 seats, whereas, Congress trailing with 57-65 seats. Talking of the vote percentage, the survey predicts 48% vote share for BJP and 38% vote share for the Congress. The newly launched political outfit by Hardik Patel is shown winning no seats in the upcoming elections. In 2012, BJP had won 115 seats and Congress had 61 seats.

One of the major differences in the elections of 2012 and 2017 remains the fact that last 3 assembly elections in Gujarat were contested with Narendra Modi as the CM candidate. This time, Narendra Modi has been trying to reconnect with the leadership, however, holding the responsibility of country’s prime minister, chances are very less that Narendra Modi will be able to leave the kind of impact he had in 2012.

Also, the survey seems to ignore the polarisation taking place in Gujarat right now. BJP has surely been feeling the heat in its own turf and that is one of the reasons it has fielded its top leaders including Narendra Modi, Yogi Adityanath, Sushma Swaraj and Shivraj Singh Chauhan in the state. Congress, on the other hand, is leaving no stone unturned to give a tough fight to BJP and according to the current developments and inclinations, it is evident that the battle is surely going to be nail-biting with no party currently in the safe zone.

By Prithviraj Singh Chauhan

Part time journalist, full-time observer. Editor-in-Chief at The Indian Wire. I cover updates related to business and startups.