Voters queue outside a polling station to cast their ballot in New Delhi. Right: Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit come out of a polling station.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to retain Madhya Pradesh with a massive mandate and wrest Rajasthan from the Congress, while falling short of a majority in Chhattisgarh. Delhi and Mizoram will see hung assemblies, according to exit poll projections of the assembly polls in the five states by India TV-CVoter.
In Chhattisgarh, the BJP may be two seats short of a simple majority in the 90-member assembly, according to TV-CVoter.
In Rajasthan, the BJP is projected to win 130 seats of the total 199, while the ruling Congress would manage just 48 seats, it has projected. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will win four seats, and other parties 17.
In 2008, the Congress had won 95 seats, the BJP 78, BSP six and others 20.
In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP is projected to retain power with 128 of the total 230 seats. The Congress could win 92 seats, the BSP six and the others four seats.
In 2008, the BJP had won 143 seats, Congress 71, BSP seven and the other parties together nine seats.
In Chhattisgarh, the ruling BJP is likely to be short of a simple majority. The party is projected to win 44 of the 90 seats. The Congress is likely to win 41 seats, the BSP two and others three. In 2008, the BJP had won 50 seats, the Congress 38, and others two seats.
In Delhi, the ruling Congress will be in for a rude shock.
According to India TV-CVoter exit polls (until 1pm), the BJP is projected to win 29 of the 70 seats, the Congress 21, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 16 seats, the BSP two seats, and others two.
In 2008, the Congress had won 43, the BJP 23, the BSP won two, and others had won two seats.
In Congress-ruled Mizoram, the ruling party is projected to win 19 seats of the total 40. The Mizo National Front (MNF) plus Mizo People’s Conference (MPC) is likely to win 14 seats, the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) five seats, and others two seats.
In 2008, the Congress had won 32 seats, MNF plus MPC had won six, and ZNP had won two seats.
Delhi, which witnessed a triangular contest for the first time, yesterday voted enthusiastically in the crucial assembly election watched eagerly nationwide ahead of the 2014 national polls.
Over 66% of the Delhi’s 11.9mn electors, including many VIPs, cast ballot until 6pm to elect a new 70-member house from among 810 candidates. Polling was way up from 57.58% in 2008.
Poll panel officials said voting could finally be a record 70% as the EC extended voting time until 6.30pm to accommodate over 100,000 people standing in queues at booths.
Results, which will be out on December 8, could have a role in deciding who gets to rule India in the Lok Sabha polls next year.
The BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi tweeted: “We have seen yet another successful demonstration of the strength of our democracy over the past few weeks. Congrats to the Indian voter! I congratulate Election Commission of India for spearheading a spectacular effort in conducting the polls.”
Prominent early voters included Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka accompanied by her husband Robert Vadra also voted.
The entry of AAP, seen by many as a spoiler in the decades’ old direct battle of ballot between the Congress and the BJP, added to enthusiasm among the voters.
The prestigious New Delhi constituency, where Dikshit of the Congress and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal are battling it out, polling was 75% - up from 66% in 2008.
At K Kamraj Marg polling station in New Delhi area, former president A P J Abdul Kalam had to wait for over an hour to cast his vote due to a faulty Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
A minor scuffle occurred at the Mandir Marg polling station in New Delhi as Congress workers objected to AAP’s supporters wearing white Gandhi caps.
The Delhi poll ends the month-long phase of assembly elections in five states.
Each party claimed victory.
Three-time Chief Minister Dikshit banked on development done by her government. “I am hopeful that people will vote for development and the work done by us in the last 15 years,” she said.
The poll was a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP, said Dikshit. Rahul Gandhi supported her: “Sheila Dikshit has done a lot of good work for Delhi, so she will do well.”
BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan claimed his party was ahead of both the Congress and AAP.
Kejriwal, who has promised to end corruption and slash electricity and water tariffs, too sounded confident.
Many opt for NOTA in Delhi
Even as Delhi yesterday recorded its highest polling percentage for assembly elections, many voters said they chose the newly-introduced None of the Above (NOTA) option. They felt none of the candidates were fit to be elected. “Last time I chose 49-O, which was a bit complicated, but this time, NOTA option made it easy for me,” said a 23-year-old man from east Delhi’s Lakshminagar. He said he exercised his right to vote by opting for NOTA as he did not like any of the candidates. “It makes me feel empowered.” Earlier, option 49-O allowed a valid voter who decides not to cast his vote to record this fact with a polling officer. Aqbar, 25, from Matia Mahal constituency said he was not happy with any of the candidates. “I used the power of NOTA as I don’t want anyone of them to be voted,” he said. NOTA was introduced for the first time in the five state assembly elections following a Supreme Court ruling on Septmeber 27.