Fresh opinion polls predict slender gain for NDA

A fresh opinion poll has projected that the BJP-led NDA is likely to cross the halfway mark in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

According to the Times Now-VMR poll, the NDA is likely to get 283 seats while the Congress-led UPA may get 135. Others like Trinamool Congress, BSP, Samajwadi Party, TRS and YSR Congress are expected to bag 125 seats.

Individually, the BJP is projected to get 241 seats, down from the 282 it won in 2014. The BJP's seats were reduced to 269 in the past five years after it lost a clutch of bypolls.

The Congress is likely to double its seats from the existing 45 to 91. In 2014, it had won 44 and increased it to 48. However, due to the death of some sitting MPs, the present Congress strength is 45.

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In the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, the BJP may win 42 out of the 80 seats while the SP-BSP, with a projection of 36 seats, may not be doing as well as it was speculated.

There may not be much change in Karnataka if the opinion poll is to go by — the BJP may win 15 seats, down from 17, while the Congress-JD(S) alliance is likely to win 12.

The DMK-led Opposition alliance is likely to win 34 seats in Tamil Nadu leaving just five to the AIADMK-led alliance, of which the BJP is a part. In West Bengal, the BJP is expected to win 11 seats and the TMC may garner 31 while the Congress and the Left parties are projected to win nothing.

In Andhra Pradesh, the TDP is facing a rout with the projection showing that it will win only three seats while the YSRCP may win 22.

In Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Congress may make minor gains but the states may go in bulk to the BJP. Punjab may see the complete rout of the Akali Dal-BJP combine while Congress may bag 12 and AAP, the remaining one.

One of the opinion polls earlier this month showed that the BJP-led NDA may hold on to power for one more term with a slender margin, though Congress and some other Opposition parties are likely to improve their tally.

The India TV-CNX survey claimed that the NDA could get 285 seats this time, just 13 seats more than the half-way mark of 272, while the Congress-led UPA will have to settle for 126 seats.

However, another survey by ABP News-CVoter claimed that the NDA may have to settle at 264 while the UPA got 141 seats and others 138.