Madhya Pradesh Exit Poll 2018: Shivraj Singh Chouhan likely to retain power in close fight with Congress

Madhya Pradesh Exit Poll 2018: After 13 years in office, Bharatiya Janata Party's Shivraj Singh Chouhan is gearing up for a fourth straight term in Madhya Pradesh. According to News Nation Exit Poll, the BJP will bag 108-112 seats to retain power in the state yet again in 2018. In a neck-and-neck fight with the incumbent BJP, the Congress will get 105-109 seats. The BJP is projected to get 40 per cent of votes, while the Congress is likely to get 39 per cent of votes in Madhya Pradesh Elections 2018. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 165 seats and the Congress had won 58. Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party and independent candidates had won four and three seats, respectively.

Going by the poll survey, Madhya Pradesh Election 2018 is being dominated by Unemployment (23 per cent) and Agricultural issue (13 per cent) followed by Corruption (10 per cent), Inflation (7 per cent) and several other ongoing factors (47%) in the state.

BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan remains to be the preferred chief minister in the state with an impressive 43 per cent votes. Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath is the second and third choice with 29 and 10 per cent of total votes respectively.

Read | Poll of exit polls Live Updates: Congress ahead in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, close contest in Madhya Pradesh

While the BJP is eyeing a fourth straight term in Madhya Pradesh the Congress is hoping for a comeback after 15 years in the state, which was once its stronghold.

In 2018 Assembly elections, Madhya Pradesh witnessed an increase in the voter turnout with a record 75 per cent voters turning up at polling stations to exercise their franchise.  In 2013, the polling percentage was 72.13 per cent in Madhya Pradesh. Hence, there was an increase of about 2.5 per cent. Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh was mainly dominated by EVM issues with the Congress alleging illegalities in deposit of EVMs in the strong room.

The Assembly elections to the 230-member strong Assembly was held in a single phase on November 28. The counting of votes will take place along with Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana on December 11.

Read | Chhattisgarh Exit Poll 2018: BJP's Raman Singh likely to lose state after 15 years, Ajit Jogi to be kingmaker

However, different exit polls have predicted different results in Madhya Pradesh. According to India Today-Axis My India, India TV, Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat, Times Now -CNX, the BJP is likely to emerge as the single largest party in the state. But as per the poll suevey by India News MP-NETA, News 24-Pace Media, Republic-C-Voters and ABP News the Congress will make a huge comeback in the state after 15 long years.

Madhya Pradesh Exit Poll 2018 LIVE UPDATES:

06:29 pm: What is the biggest issue in Madhya Pradesh? Unemployment: 23%, Agriculture:13%, Corruption: 10%, Inflation: 7% and Others: 47%

06:25 pm: Who is the first choice for Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh? Shivraj Singh Chouhan leads with 43%, Jyotiraditya Scindia: 29%, Kamal Nath 10% and Others: 18%

06:15 pm: As per the post-poll survey by Prabodhan, BJP will bag as many as 118 seats in Madhya Pradesh. The Prabodhan exit poll predicted 99 seats for the Congress party.

06:03 pm: News Nation Exit Poll Results: Seat share projections: BJP: 108-112, Congress: 105-109 and Others to bag 11-15 seats.

06:02 pm: News Nation Exit Poll Results: Vote share projections - BJP: 40%, Congress: 39%, Others 14% and 7% votes may go to NOTA section.

05:34 pm: Madhya Pradesh exit polls shortly. Stay tuned with us.

05:16 pm: Madhya Pradesh election 2018 was dominated by EVM issues with the Congress alleging illegalities in deposit of EVMs in the strong room.

05:14 pm: In 2013 Assembly elections, the polling percentage was 72.13 per cent in Madhya Pradesh. Hence, there was an increase of about 2.5 per cent.

05:12 pm: In 2018 Assembly elections, Madhya Pradesh witnessed an increase in the voter turnout with a record 75 per cent voters turning up at polling stations to exercise their franchise.

05:06 pm: As many as 2,899 candidates, including 1,094 independents, are in the fray for the 230 seats, but the it is considered to be a straight fight between the Congress and the incumbent BJP.

04:58 pm: If the Congress is voted to power, it is expected to pick between Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh for the chief minister's post in Madhya Pradesh.

Read | Rajasthan Exit Poll 2018 Live: Congress to wrest power from BJP, likely to get 103 seats

04:52 pm: The BJP is eyeing a fourth straight term in Madhya Pradesh while the Congress is hoping for a comeback after 15 years in the state, which was once its stronghold.

04:49 pm: In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 165 seats and the Congress had won 58. Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party had won four and independent candidates had won three seats, respectively.

04:46 pm: The tenure of Madhya Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to end on January 7, 2019.

04:44 pm: Counting of votes will be taken up on December 11 across Madhya Pradesh.

04:43 pm: Polling in Madhya Pradesh took place on November 28, 2018.

04:41 pm: Madhya Pradesh has 230 seats in the Legislative Assembly.

04:30 pm: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003.

Read | Telangana Exit Poll 2018 Live Updates: KCR likely to retain power for second term

04:28 pm: Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been ruling Madhya Pradesh since 2005.

04:20 pm: Tune in to News Nation as we bring to you one of the most accurate EXIT POLLS, LIVE – 5:00 PM onwards today. Join us using #NNExitPoll.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been ruling the state since 2005, while the BJP has been in power since 2003. The party had stormed to power in 2003 under the leadership of Uma Bharti. The Congress was in power with Digvijaya Singh as its chief minister from 1993. The BJP had won 173 seats with 42.50 per cent of votes, while the Congress had managed to win only 38 seats with 31.61 per cent of votes. In 2008 also, the BJP retained the state under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The party had won 143 seats with 37.64 per cent of votes, while the Congress had emerged victorious on 71 seats with 32.39 per cent of votes. The BJP lost some of the votes and seats due to the presence of Uma Bharti's Bharatiya Jan Shakti Party. The party had won 5 seats with 4.71 per cent of votes.

In 2013, the BJP was able to come back to power for the third consecutive term. The party had won 165 seats with 44.88 per cent of votes. The Congress had won only 58 seats with 36.38 per cent of votes. But this time, the Congress is hoping to snatch away the Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s bastion. The party is upbeat under the joint leadership of Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia. However, the party's inability to declare the chief ministerial face can dent its prospects. The BJP is, however, confident to retain the state for the fourth consecutive term.

Also Read | News Nation Exit Poll: Will 2018 Assembly polls revive Congress' political fortune?

Shivraj Singh Chouhan is again contesting from Budhni Assembly seat where he is facing former Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Arun Yadav. Another Congress heavyweight Ajay Singh is trying his luck from Churhat constituency. Former chief minister Digvijaya Singh's brother Lakshman Singh is contesting from Chachaura and his son Jaivardhan Singh is in the fray from Raghogarh. BJP's Yashodhara Raje is contesting from Shivpuri, while Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani is contesting on a Congress ticket from Waraseoni Assembly seat.