As the counting progressed, the BJP seemed poised for a record win, going past the 150-mark in the 182-member Assembly. While the AAP has made considerable gains in the Patidar and tribal seats, it was the worst show by the Congress this time, failing to capitalize on the gains it had made in the 2017 polls.
According to the exit polls, the BJP is set to be back in the saddle in Gujarat, ostensibly riding on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity. While the BJP may end up breaking its 2002 record of winning 127 of the 182 Assembly seats, it still could not beat the Congress’s 1985 record of 149 seats, credited to the sympathy wave created by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
The exit poll figures show that the BJP is set to better its 2017 numbers. And the AAP will open its account in a small but significant way. According to the India Today-Axis My India, the BJP will get 129-151 seats and the Congress between 16 to 30. The AAP, it said, will get 9 to 21 seats. The Republic-P Marq survey said the BJP will get 128-148 seats, the Congress 30-42 and the AAP 2-10. The survey by TV 9 Gujarati said the BJP will get 125-130 seats, Congress 40-50 seats and the AAP 3-5 seats. The ABP News-C Voter survey said the BJP will get 128-140 seats, the Congress 31-43 and the AAP 3-11.
