Exit Poll Results 2018 highlights: Congress predicted to bag 100 seats in Rajasthan, sweep out Raje govt, say pollsters

Exit Poll Results 2018 Live updates: Most exit poll predictions are saying that Congress is likely to win in Rajasthan while BJP has the advantage in Madhya Pradesh.

TRS is set to win 66 seats in the 119-seat Assembly in Telangana, according to the Times Now-CNX exit poll. BJP is expected to win 46 seats in Chhattisgarh while BJP is set to win 126 seats in Madhya Pradesh, said the Times Now-CNX exit poll.

The exit poll results of the five states — Rajasthan, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh — that underwent polling in the ongoing election season will be released on Friday at 5.30 pm.

While polling in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh concluded in November, voting is underway in Rajasthan and Telangana.

In Rajasthan, that saw 2,247 candidates vying for 200 seats, the exit polls may bring clarity on the voter's mood and whether or not the contest is largely bipolar between Congress and BJP. Ahead of the polls, it was reported that rebel candidates from both the parties who are contesting the elections as Independents after being denied a ticket could make the election trilateral in at least 50 seats.

Representational image. AP

The contest in Telangana has largely been a trilateral one between K Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the BJP, and the Praja Kootami (People's Front) forged by Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana
Jana Samiti (TJS).

Assembly polls in Telangana were originally scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls next year. However, the Legislative Assembly was dissolved prematurely on September six following a recommendation made by the TRS government. The exit polls may give some idea as to whether or not Rao's gamble will playoff in his favour when the results are announce don 11 December.

Meanwhile, Rao on Friday exuded confidence that his party would come back to power in Telangana with a "huge majority". There is a "very, very positive" mood among voters towards the party, KCR, told reporters at his native village Chintamadaka where he cast his vote in the Assembly polls.

In Madhya Pradesh, as many as 2,899 candidates, including 1,094 Independents, are in the fray for the 230 seats, polling for which concluded on 28 November. The state witnessed high voter turnout in the Assembly election which was marred by complaints of faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and stray incidents of violence. The main contest in the state is between the Congress and BJP – the big two of Madhya Pradesh politics. The state has 5.04 crore, eligible voters. The results will show whether or not Congress was able to use the anti-incumbency against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in its favour?

Mizoram, which also went to polls on 28 November recorded over 80 percent turnout. With 209 candidates in the fray, Mizoram is likely to witness a closely fought battle. While the Congress and the Mizo National Front (MNF) have 40 candidates each, the BJP has fielded 39, the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has 36, and Zoram Thar has 22 candidates vying for a win.

The People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM), former Aizawl-based anti-corruption watchdog which launched a political party last year, has fielded 13 candidates. The National People’s Party, which launched its Mizoram unit in late September this year, has nine candidates while the National Congress Party (NCP) has five candidates. Five independents have also thrown their hats in the ring this time.

In Chhattisgarh, polling took place in two phases. The first phase of the polls, which were held on 12 November in 18 seats across eight Naxal-affected districts, had recorded a voter turnout of 76.28 percent.  Whereas, the second phase which took place on 20 November, saw a turnout of 71.93 percent amid EVMs malfunctioning and missing names from voters' lists.

Polling began on a slow note in several constituencies because of the technical snag, but it picked up pace later. Jashpur saw 51.2 percent polling, Kunkuri recorded 50.1 percent, Pathalgaon 50.8 percent, Kurud 49 percent and Bharatpur-Sonhat, 47.82 percent.

Counting of votes will be taken up on 11 December.