Exit Polls 2022: BJP To Return To Power In Gujarat, Close Contest In Himachal

Exit polls across the board predict BJP coming to power in Gujarat for the seventh time. Congress will be a distant second in the state polls and the biggest opposition in the state legislature, surveys show. Estimates range from 117 seats to 151 seats to BJP. Aam Aadmi Party, a newcomer in Gujarat's politics, managed a tepid show. Results will be declared on Dec. 8.

Exit polls predict a close contest between BJP and Congress in Himachal Pradesh. While the former party is looking to retain power in the hilly state, the latter is close on its heels in the seats tally as per the surveys. Some see BJP holding a thin lead, like Republic-PMARQ (BJP: 34-39; Congress: 28-33). Today's Chanakya believes it to be a close contest, giving 33 seats to both parties. India Today-Axis My India even gives a slight edge to Congress with 30-40 seats, compared with 24-34 seats for BJP.

BJP will be victorious on 150 seats in Gujarat Assembly, according to Today's Chanakya exit poll. The survey gives 19 seats to Congress and 11 to AAP.

The ABP News C-Voter exit poll gives 33-41 seats to BJP in Himachal Pradesh, and 24-31 seats to Congress.

The India TV exit poll sees BJP winning 35-40 seats in Himachal Pradesh, while Congress will manage to get 26-31 seats.

The Today's Chanakya exit poll estimates 33 seats to BJP and Congress. The winning mark in the state is 35 seats.

BJP is all set to return to power in Gujarat for the seventh time, with 129-151 seats, said India Today-Axis My India exit poll. The survey gives 16-30 seats to Congress, and 9-21 seats to AAP.

BJP will win 128-140 seats in Gujarat elections, easily crossing the 92-mark, said C-Voter exit poll. Congress will be in the opposition with 31-43 seats, whereas AAP will bag 3-11 seats, as per the survey.

While BJP will have the advantage in the hilly state with 32-40 seats, Congress is not far behind, with projected victory on 27-34 seats, said the NewsX exit poll.

BJP will return to power in Himachal Pradesh with 38 seats, against the required 35, says ETG-TNN exit poll. Congress will be the second biggest party with 28 seats, whereas AAP won't be able to score, the survey says.

The saffron party is set to once again form the government in Gujarat with 131 seats, according to ETG-TNN exit poll. Congress will get 41 seats and AAP 6 seats.

• BJP: 24-34

• Congress: 30-40

• AAP: 0-0

• Others: 4-8

The India Today-Axis My India exit poll gives a slight advantage to Congress in Himachal Pradesh with 30-40 seats. BJP, as per the survey, will manage to win 24-34 seats.

• BJP: 117-140

• Congress: 34-51

• AAP: 6-13

• Others: 1-2

The Republic-PMARQ exit poll predicts BJP winning 128-148 seats in Gujarat Assembly elections, well over the 92 needed to win in the state. Congress can emerge as the biggest opposition in the state, winning 30-42 seats, while AAP will get 2-10 seats, as per the survey.

BJP only has a marginal lead over Congress in Himachal Pradesh, shows the Jan Ki Baat exit poll. According to the survey, BJP will get 32-40 seats, whereas Congress will win 27-34 seats.

• BJP: 32-40

• Congress: 27-34

• AAP: 0

• Others: 1-2

BJP holds the edge in a close contest with Congress in Himachal Pradesh, with the possibility to win 34-39 seats, according to Republic-PMARQ exit poll. Others can get 1-4 seats, the exit poll says.

BJP will return to power in Gujarat with 125-130 seats in the state Assembly, according to TV9's exit poll, whereas Congress will get 40-50 seats.

• BJP: 125-130

• Congress: 40-50

• AAP: 3-5

• Others: 3-7

BJP will once again return to power in Gujarat with 117-140 seats, shows India News-Jan Ki Baat exit poll. The survey gives 34-51 seats to Congress and only 6-13 seats to AAP.

The Republic-PMARQ exit poll predicts an easy win for BJP in Gujarat with 128-148 seats. The survey projects Congress victory on 30-42 seats and AAP bagging 2-10 seats.

The ETG-TNN exit polls estimates AAP winning 146 to 156 seats in the MCD polls, with BJP a distant second.

• AAP: 146-156

• BJP: 84-94

• Congress: 6-10

• Others: 0-4

The India Today-Axis My India exit poll predicts an easy win for Aam Aadmi Party in MCD elections at 149-171 seats, against the halfway mark of 126 seats.

• AAP: 149-171

• BJP: 69-91

• Congress: 3-7

• Others: 5-9

The voter turnout at the end of voting was 58.80%, according to Election Commission of India. Banaskantha recorded the highest turnout among districts that went to poll today at 65.65%. Ahmedabad recorded 53.57%, lowest among all districts in the second phase.

A total of 58.44% voter turnout was recorded by 5:00 p.m. in the second round of voting for the Gujarat state Assembly.

As the second phase of voting ends in Gujarat on Monday, psephologists will release their exit polls for the State Assembly elections in the evening today.

It is a tripartite contest this time, with the Aam Aadmi Party joining the electoral fray in the state along with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress.

The first phase of polling on Dec. 1 recorded 60.23% voter turnout, which is lower than the 66.75% turnout recorded in 2017. In this phase, electorates across 19 districts voted to choose from 788 candidates for 89 assembly seats.

The second phase of polling on Dec. 5 saw voters cast their ballots to elect candidates for 93 constituencies across 14 districts. The overall voter turnout in the latter phase was 58.44% by 5:00 p.m.

A total of 832 candidates are in the fray for the second round.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Sukhram Rathva cast their votes in this phase.

Before the results are declared on Dec. 8, exit poll numbers—released after the end of voting—will help form an estimate of who will win the crucial state.