Exit Polls by regional channels and agencies were divided on their projection for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections outcome.
While some organisations projected victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), others forecast that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) will retain power.
Aaraa Poll Strategies Private Limited predicted that Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP will retain power by bagging 94-104 seats in the 175-member Assembly. It gave 71-81 seats to the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP alliance.
Shaik Mastan, founder and Chairman of the agency, said YSRCP is likely to get a vote share of 49.41 per cent while the TDP-led alliance may get 47.55 per cent votes.
Aaraa, whose Exit Polls for recent Telangana Assembly elections was almost accurate, believed that YSRCP has received the support of more women voters than men.
It also projected 13-15 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats for YSRCP while the TDP-led alliance is likely to win 10-12.
Atma Sakshi SAS has also projected a win for YSRCP. It gave 98-116 seats to YSRCP and 59-77 seats to the NDA.
Smart Poll projected a close race between YSRCP and NDA. It gave 93 seats for the NDA and 80 seats for YSRCP.
According to People’s Pulse, the TDP-led alliance is likely to sweep the Assembly polls. The TDP alone is expected to win 95-110 seats. Its ally Jana Sena may win 14-20 and BJP 2-5 seats.
It projected YSRCP 45-60 seats with 44 per cent vote share. The NDA alliance is expected to secure 52 per cent votes.
People’s Pulse also projected NDA’s win 17-21 Lok Sabha seats. The YSRCP is likely to get 3-5 seats.
Centre for Politics and Policy Studies projected 95-105 Assembly seats to YSRCP and 75-85 seats to NDA.
Simultaneous elections to the state Assembly and Lok Sabha were held on May 13. A heavy voter turnout of 82.73 per cent was recorded.
For Assembly elections, a total of 2,387 candidates are in the fray. Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendula), TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam), Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram) are among the key candidates.
In 2019, the YSRCP secured a landslide victory, winning 151 of the 175 Assembly seats with a 49.95 per cent vote share. The TDP could secure 23 seats with 39.17 per cent of the votes while the remaining seat went to the Jana Sena .
YSRCP had also won 22 Lok Sabha seats while the remaining three went to the TDP. The BJP and Congress drew a blank in both Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.