The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to return to power in Uttar Pradesh, the exit polls predicted after the polling for the seventh and last phase of the Assembly elections in the state concluded on Monday.
The Republic P-MARQ exit poll has predicted that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led BJP+ is likely to cross the majority mark and is projected to win 240 seats (+-15) in the 403-member Assembly. On the other hand, Samajwadi Party+ is likely to bag 140 seats (+-10). BSP is projected to bag 17 seats, Congress 4 (+-2) and others 2 seats (+-2).
ETG Research has predicted that BJP will bag 230-245 seats, followed by SP (150-165), BSP (5-10), and Congress (2-6).
NewsX-Polstrat has projected that the CM Yogi Adityanath led alliance will win 211-225 seats, while Akhilesh Yadav's SP will bag 146-160 seats. Congress is likely to win 4-6 seats and 14-24 seats will be bagged by BSP, the exit poll showed.
India News has also predicted along the same lines. In their exit poll, the BJP is likely to win 222-260, followed by SP (135-165), BSP (4-9) and Congress (1-3).
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.
Meanwhile, dismissing pre-poll surveys that showed that the BJP had the edge in Uttar Pradesh elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday claimed that the ruling party will be wiped out from the state when the results are declared on March 10.
"Let them show whatever they have got. We are winning with a majority," he said, dismissing predictions earlier on some TV channels.
Yadav spoke to PTI before the exit polls were scheduled to come up with their predictions on Monday evening, at the end of the final round of polling for the state assembly.
He claimed that the SP-led alliance will form the next government in Uttar Pradesh with over 300 seats.
