Opinion polls ahead of November-December Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh show that BJP will retain Madhya Pradesh but lose the other two to Congress.
Going into general elections next year, much will ride on the outcome in these states. A projected win for Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will come as a shot in the arm of the opposition, which is trying to put up a united front to stop BJP-led NDA from coming to power a second straight time.
Madhya Pradesh: According to opinion polls conducted by C Voter, IETech Group and Times Now, BJP will win 126 seats out of 230 seats, well above the majority mark of 116 seats but way below 165 seats it bagged in the 2013 assembly elections. Congress is expected to bag 97 seats compared to 58 in 2013.
Rajasthan: People in the state will follow the trend of removing the incumbent party according to C Voter and Times Now opinion polls. Congress which won just 21 seats out of 200 in 2013 elections is projected to grab power with 129 seats, passing the majority mark of 101 while BJP will sink to just 63 seats compared to 163 five years back. The majority mark in the assembly is at 101 seats.
Chhattisgarh: The keenest battle will be fought in Chhattisgarh, where BJP will try to form a government for the fourth time. Opinion polls show that Congress will barely manage to cross the halfway mark winning 47 seats in the 90-member assembly. In 2013, it won 39 seats compared to BJP's 49, but the latter is projected to win 39 seats this time, according to C Voter, IETech Group and Times Now opinion polls.
Telangana: The decision of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to go for early polls will pay off handsomely. His party Telangana Rashtra Samithi is expected to romp home on 85 seats in the 117-seat assembly, with the majority mark being 60. Congress is expected to bag 18 while BJP and AIMIM will get 5 and 7 seats, respectively, according to Team Flash and VDA Associates opinion polls.
