Pre-Poll Surveys Hint at BJP-led NDA Facing Tough Battles in Key States for Lok Sabha Polls

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th April. As the Lok Sabha elections draw near, recent pre-poll surveys indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is going to face challenges in several key states. Despite PM Modi’s assertion of crossing the 400-seat mark in the lower house of Parliament, these surveys suggest a different scenario.

In the Lok Sabha, which comprises 543 seats, a party or alliance needs to secure at least 272 seats for a majority. In the 2019 elections, the BJP alone won 290 seats, while the NDA as a whole currently holds 346 seats.

Uttar Pradesh tops the list in terms of parliamentary constituencies, with 80 seats. Maharashtra follows with 48 seats, and West Bengal with 42.

However, according to the ABP News-CVoter survey, the BJP might face hurdles in securing a majority in West Bengal, where the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is projected to win 23 seats. Similarly, Odisha presents a tough contest, with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) having a slight advantage. The survey predicts 10 seats for the NDA, 1 seat for the INDIA bloc (if any), and 11 seats for the BJD.

In Telangana, the Congress is expected to make significant gains, securing 10 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJP is projected to win 4 seats. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen are estimated to secure 3 and 1 seats, respectively.

The surveys also indicate that the BJP might not win any seats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, the Congress is predicted to win 16 seats, while in Tamil Nadu, the DMK and its allies are projected to sweep the elections, with the Congress likely to secure 8 seats and the DMK estimated to win 31 seats.

Network18’s Mega Opinion Poll forecasts 411 seats for the NDA, with the BJP alone securing 350 seats. However, it suggests tough competition for the alliance in states like Odisha, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

It’s important to note that these projections represent a significant increase from previous elections and underscore the dynamic nature of Indian politics as the nation approaches the polling season.