BHUBANESWAR: If the exit poll predictions across the board are any indication, the BJP is all set to turn the tables on the BJD in these elections.
While the exit poll results on the Assembly polls are yet to be released, the forecast for the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state pointed at a dire situation for the BJD with BJP gaining a significant majority of seats and pushing the ruling party into second position.
In 2019, BJD had won 12 seats, BJP eight and Congress one. Most of the exit polls on Odisha have, however, predicted that the BJP is winning the Lok Sabha election in a big way with India Today-Axis forecasting almost a clean sweep by the saffron party at 18 to 20 seats and a voting percentage of 51 against its votes share of 38.4 per cent in 2019.
The agency has predicted a rout for BJD giving it a mere 0-2 seats. The poll percentage of the regional party is likely to fall from 42.8 per cent to 33 per cent, as per Axis forecast.
The ABP-CVoter exit poll predicted on similar lines, giving BJP 17-19 seats and the BJD 1-3. The Congress could manage one seat. As per Jan Ki Baat, the saffron party may get 15-18 seats and the BJD 7-3 while the Congress is likely to draw a blank. The India TV-CNX has forecast that the BJP will score 15-17 seats, the BJD 4-6, and the Congress 0-1 seat.
Similarly, News 24-Today's Chanakya has predicted 16 seats with a deviation of three for the BJP, 4 for the BJD with a deviation of two and up to one seat to the Congress. However, the voting percentage of the two main rivals will be 43 per cent.
Similar is the forecast of India News-D-Dynamics for Odisha Lok Sabha election.
The double exit poll conducted by the Republic TV with P-MARQ and Matrize has given different results. While Matrize has predicted 9-12 seat for the BJP and 7-10 for the BJD, the P-MARQ's forecast is 14 for BJP and 8 for BJD. The Congress is not likely to open its account this time as per the exit polls.
Responding to the exit poll predictions, Union Minister and BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur Dharmendra Pradhan said, "As per our expectation, the numbers will go above 15. It will be between 15-20. The results from Odisha will be shocking."