The weekslong Lok Sabha elections concluded on Saturday (June 1) as the seventh and the final round of voting came to an end.
After the Election Commission (EC)-imposed embargo on exit polls ended on 6 pm on Saturday, the figures started to pour in.
In West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mounted a sharp campaign against the state’s Trinamool Congress (TMC). In Odisha too, the BJP led a sharp campaign against the state’s long-time ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The News 18 exit poll figures for the states of West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand are out along with other states.
West Bengal
Of the 42 seats of West Bengal, the BJP is expected to win 21-21 seats and the TMC 18-21, according to the News 18 exit poll.
Polling for the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal commenced at 7 AM on Saturday under tight security. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured 22 seats, while the BJP made significant gains with 18 seats, and Congress won two seats.
This phase features several prominent candidates, including Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, sitting MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Sougata Roy, and Mala Roy, former Union minister Debasree Chaudhuri of the BJP, and senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty.
Odisha
Of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, the BJP is expected to win 13-15 seats and the BJD six to eight, as per the News 18 exit poll.
The assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha are being held simultaneously in four phases, from May 13 to June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4. In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJD secured 112 out of 146 seats, while the BJP won 23 seats, and the Congress obtained nine seats.
The BJD emerged dominant during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winning 12 seats. The BJP followed closely with eight seats, and the Congress managed to secure only one seat.
The current four-phase election in Odisha has reached its final stage, with six Lok Sabha seats in the coastal region going to the polls on June 1. These constituencies include Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, and 42 assembly segments. A close contest is anticipated this time.
A total of 66 candidates are competing for the Lok Sabha elections, while 394 candidates are contesting for the 42 assembly seats. On the last day of polling, 9,943,370 electors are expected to vote.
Key figures involved in intense campaigning include former Union Ministers Srikant Jena and Pratap Sarangi, BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda, and senior BJD leader Rajashree Mallick.
This phase is particularly crucial for the BJD, which achieved a significant victory in the 2019 Assembly elections and secured an absolute majority in the State Assembly. Facing anti-incumbency after 25 years in power, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his aide V. K. Pandian have ramped up their campaign efforts by touring various constituencies.
Jharkhand
Of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand, the BJP is expected to win 9-12 seats and the INDIA bloc is expected to win between six to eight seats, as per News 18 exit poll.
The seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections – which marks the fourth round of polls in the Jharkhand – took place on June 1. Of the 14 Lok Sabha seats, BJP won 11 constituencies, while AJSU Party, Congress, and JMM won one seat each in the 2019 polls.
Elections were previously held in Jharkhand on May 13, May 20 and May 25. The final phase of elections saw intense campaigning, including by PM Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda, Jharkhand CM Champai Soren, and JMM leader Kalpana Soren. Of the 14 Lok Sabha seats, BJP won 11 constituencies, while AJSU Party, Congress, and JMM won one seat each in the 2019 polls.
All eyes are on Dumka seat where BJP’s Sita Soren, sister-in-law of jailed former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, is contesting against INDIA bloc’s Nalin Soren. Sita, a former three-term JMM legislator, joined the BJP just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, citing ’neglect’ and ‘isolation’ by JMM after the death of her husband Durga Soren in 2009.
In Godda, BJP sitting MP Nishikant Dubey is contesting against INDIA bloc’s Pradip Yadav. The Rajmahal seat is expected to witness an interesting fight as JMM’s Borio legislator Lobin Hembrom is contesting as an Independent against sitting JMM MP Vijay Hansdak. The BJP has fielded its former state president Tala Marandi for the seat.In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won the Dumka and Godda seats, while the JMM secured the Rajmahal seat.
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