Delhi Assembly Elections: Most exit polls give BJP edge, AAP says never right

These may vary widely from the actual results. In the 2020 Delhi polls, most exit polls got their predictions wrong. Exit polls went wrong in the Lok Sabha elections and, more recently, in the Haryana Assembly polls too.

The exit polls on Wednesday were not linked to television channels. Prominent agencies like Axis My India and Today’s Chanakya said they would release their projections on Thursday.

Arvind Kejriwal and his family members show their inked fingers after casting votes during Delhi Assembly polls. (Source: @AamAadmiParty/X)

In 2020, the AAP won 62 of the total 70 seats, with the remaining eight going to the BJP.

On Wednesday, two exit polls, by Matrize and D V Research, showed a close contest between the BJP-led NDA and AAP. Matrize put BJP+ at 35-40 seats, AAP at 32-37, and Congress at 0-1. D V Research predicted 36-44 seats for the BJP and allies, and 26-34 seats for the AAP.

Six exit polls predicted a BJP victory, including a landslide win by some. Chanakya Strategies said the BJP and its allies were likely to get 39-44 seats, AAP 25-28, and Congress 2-3 seats. P Marq gave the BJP+ 39-44 seats, AAP 21-31 seats, and Congress 0-1 seats.

People’s Pulse put the BJP+ tally at 51 to 60 seats, with the AAP at 10-19 seats, and Congress at 0-1. People’s Insight gave the BJP+ 40-44 seats, AAP 25-28 seats, and Congress 0-1 seats. Poll Diary had similar numbers with BJP+ at 42-50 seats, AAP at 18-25, and Congress at 0-2 seats.

Outside polling booth in CR Park. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)

The JVC exit poll said the BJP and its allies would get 39-45 seats, the AAP 22-31 seats and the Congress 0-2.

Three other agencies, however, predicted the AAP’s return to power. Mind Brink Media said the AAP would get 44-49 seats, BJP 21-25, and Congress 0-1. Wee Preside gave 46-52 seats to AAP, 18-23 to BJP and 0-1 to Congress. KK Surveys and Strategies put the AAP’s likely seat tally at 44 and the BJP at 26.

While the BJP welcomed the exit polls’ projections, the AAP rejected them. “Be it 2013, 2015 or 2020, exit polls have never been right about the AAP. Every time, the AAP has stormed to power with a massive mandate, and this time will be no different,” AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said in a statement.

Student volunteers Dev and Tushar said that EC officials gave them a lowdown of the entire process at the booth. (Express Photo)

“We welcome the results being shown by the exit polls but… on February 8, our victory will be more spectacular than what the exit polls have shown today,” Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said.