Delhi went to polls yesterday and despite an intense election campaign by the AAP and the BJP, the two main contestants in the National Capital, the voter turnout remained low. Only 61.5 per cent voter turnout was recorded as against 67.1 per cent voter turnout that was recorded in the year 2015. This is the tentative figure according to the Election Commission of India (ECI) voter turnout app.
Meanwhile, several exit polls have been carried out by a number of agencies. Almost all the exit polls have predicted similar election results. They have given a second term to Kejriwal led AAP, whereas the BJP is expected to improve upon its tally of 3 seats that it secured in the year 2015. The Congress, as expected, is predicted to draw a blank once again.
According to Republic- Jan Ki Baat Exit Poll, the AAP is expected to win between 48-61 seats, whereas the BJP is expected to bag 9-21 seats. The Congress meanwhile is expected to either draw a blank or barely open its account with a single seat.
Times Now- Ipsos exit poll has given specific numbers instead of a range of seats. It has predicted 47 seats for AAP and 23 seats for the BJP. India Today-Axis My India exit polls have predicted 59-68 seats for the AAP and 2-11 seats for the BJP.
ABP News-C Voter exit polls to manifest a similar pattern. AAP is expected to win 49-63 seats and the BJP is expected to win 5-19 seats. The C-voter exit polls are also giving the Congress the highest number of seats among all exit poll predictions. It has predicted 0-4 seats for the grand old party.
Finally, TV9 Bharatvarsh – CICERO has also predicted 52-64 seats for the AAP as opposed to a tally of 6-16 seats for the BJP and 0-2 seats for the Congress.
The Poll of Polls reveals that the AAP is expected to win 55 seats while the BJP is expected to secure 15 seats. The Congress doesn’t seem in a position to open its account.
The exit polls have therefore predicted a second term for the Kejriwal government in Delhi. The AAP had kept freebies at the forefront of its campaign, and had aided Muslim polarisation in favour of itself at the expense of the Congress, with its MLAs supporting Shaheen Bagh and Jamia protests. It remains to be seen whether the final results on February 11 will vindicate the exit poll predictions or spring an embarrassing surprise for the pollsters.