Exit Polls Results 2021: Pollsters give TMC edge in Bengal, favour BJP in Assam; DMK-Congress to win TN

Exit polls predict a tight contest between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the state of West Bengal with the BJP making strong gains both in terms of vote share and seats while the CPM-led ruling Left Democratic Front is predicted the retain the state of Kerala despite a high-pitched campaign by the saffron party.While pollsters forecast a BJP to return to power in the northeastern state of Assam, a tight contest may emerge there as well.However, in Tamil Nadu and the UT of Puducherry, pollsters predict a change in dispensation. While exit polls show the DMK-led alliance to emerge as the largest grouping in Tamil Nadu, the BJP is expected to form the next govt in the UT of Puducherry.The results of the exit polls were released today after polling concluded in the eighth and final phase of the West Bengal election.Exit polls divided on Bengal, tight contest likelyWhile four out of the five pollsters projected the TMC to return to power in West Bengal, the exit poll forecast showed the BJP making strong gains both in terms of vote share as well as the number of seats, hinting at a tight contest when votes are counted on 2 May.Overall, the exit polls are divided in their forecast for the West Bengal polls, where the BJP ran a high-octane campaign in its bid to capture power in the state for the first time by ending Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's 10-year reign.

West Bengal (Total: 294 seats; Majority mark: 148 seats)
Pollster	TMC+	BJP+	Congress+	Others
C-Voter (292 seats)	158	115	19	0
CNX Republic	133	143	16	0
ETG Research	169	110	12	0
P-Marq	158	128	14	0
NewsX-Polstrat	157	120	21	0
Jan Ki Baat	104-121	162-185	3-9	0

The India Today-Axis My India predicts a neck-and-neck contest in West Bengal, giving the BJP 134-160 and the TMC 130-156 seats.Republic-CNX exit poll predicts a slight edge for the BJP by protecting 138-148 seats for the party in the 294-seat Assembly and 128-138 to the TMC. However, Times Now-C Voter predicts a clear majority for the TMC by projecting 158 seats for the party and 115 for the BJP.Jan Ki Baat exit polls, however, predicts a strong majority for the BJP in West Bengal, giving it 162-185 seats, against 104-121 to the ruling TMC. The TMC had won 211 seats in 2016 and the BJP only three in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly.As far as the Left-Congress-ISF alliance is concerned, the forecasts show the grouping further marginalised in the fierce contest.Four out of five pollsters project the grouping to not cross 20 seats. The only exception being NewsX-Polstrat, which predict just 21 seats for the alliance.Assam exit polls predict second term for BJPIn Assam, India Today-Axis My India predicted 75-85 seats for the BJP-led combine in the 126-member Assembly and 40-50 to the Congress-led Opposition. Today's Chanakya predicted 61-79 seats for the saffron alliance and 47-65 for the Congress-led Opposition in Assam.Republic-CNX gave the ruling saffron alliance 74-84 and the Opposition 40-50, while Times Now-C Voter put them at 65 and 59 seats respectively.

Assam (Total seats: 126; Majority mark: 64)
Pollster	Congress+	BJP+	Others
India Today-Axis My India	40-50	75-85	1-4
Today's Chanakya	56	70	0
P-Marq	56-64	62-70	0-4
Republic TV-CNX	40-50	74-84	1-3

LDF likely to return for the second term in KeralaKerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan may defy the norm in his state of the two main alliances alternating in power by leading the CPI(M)-led alliance to another spell in power, going by various exit polls.Axis My India predicted a big win for the LDF by projecting 104 seats for it in the 140-member assembly and predicting only 20-36 seats to the Congress-led UDF.

Kerala (Total seats: 140; Majority mark: 71)
Pollster	UDF	LDF	BJP+	Others
India Today-Axis My India	20-36	104-120	0-2	0-2
Republic-CNX	61	76	3	0

Today's Chanakya forecast 93-111 seats for the LDF and 26-44 for the UDF in 140-member strong Kerala Assembly.CNX predicted a closer fight but still projected a majority of 72-80 seats for the ruling alliance against 54-64 for the Opposition.Tamil Nadu exit polls predict win for DMK-Congress combineIn another key southern state, Tamil Nadu, Axis My India and CNX forecast a big win for the DMK-led alliance that also includes the Congress.They gave 175-195 and 160-170, respectively for the DMK-Congress-led alliance in the 234-member Assembly. The AIADMK-led alliance, which includes the BJP, was projected to get 38-54 and 58-68, respectively.The Republic TV-CNX exit poll predicted four-six seats for the TTV Dhinakaran-led AMMK and zero to two sets for others.

Tamil Nadu (Total: 234 seats; Majority mark: 118 seats)
Pollster	DMK+	AIADMK+	AMMK+	Others
Republic TV-CNX	160-170	58-68	4-6	0-2
Today's Chanakya	164-186	46-68	NA	0-6
P-Marq	165-190	40-65	1-3	1-6
Axis My India	175-195	38-54	NA	NA

Today's Chanakya predicted 164-186 seats for the DMK combine and 46-68 for the incumbent AIADMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu. The P-Marq predicted 165-190 seats for the DMK-Congress combine and 40-65 seats for the AIADMK-BJP alliance.The TTV Dhinakaran-led AMMK is predicted to win one to three seats while others may win one to six seats.Puducherry exit polls show Congress lossIn the neighbouring state of Puducherry, Congress is predicted to lose out to the NDA.

Puducherry (Total seats: 30
Pollster	BJP+	Congress+	Others
C-Voter	21	8	1
Republic CNX	16-20	11-13	0

The C-Voter exit poll predicts the NDA to win 21 seats while the Congress-led UPA may win eight seats. Others are predicted to win one seat.The Republic-CNX predicts 16-20 seats for the NDA and 11-13 seats for the Congress-led alliance.With inputs from PTI