Assembly elections exit poll: Axis predicts win in Gujarat, landslide victory in Himachal Pradesh for BJP

New Delhi: Exit polls on Thursday predicted a victory for the ruling BJP in Gujarat, giving it a clear majority in the keenly-contested Assembly polls in the state.

Soon after voting ended in the second and final phase of the election, an exit poll gave the BJP 115 of the total 182 seats and the Congress 65.

Another exit poll gave the ruling dispensation 108 seats and 74 to the opposition Congress.

The VMR exit poll predicted 115 seats for the BJP, 64 for the Congress, and the remaining for other parties. The C Voter exit poll gave the BJP 108 seats and the Congress, 74.

As per the Axis exit poll, BJP was likely to win 99-113 seats in Gujarat, while the Congress may win 68-82.

On the other hand, Axis exit poll predicted that BJP will win 47-55 seats in Himachal Pradesh and Congress will get 13-20 seats.

The Gujarat contest is being seen as a prestige battle for PM Modi in his home state, where a reinvigorated Congress has sewed up a broad social coalition with prominent Patidar, OBC and Dalit leaders in its bid to unseat the BJP in power for over two decades.

In its bid to form a caste bloc against the BJP, the Congress has won over Hardik Patel, Thakor and Mevani, who have emerged as the young Turks representing the Patidars, OBCs and Dalits respectively.

Exuding confidence, Rahul Gandhi on the concluding day of the campaign on Tuesday had told reporters that there was "tremendous undercurrent" against the ruling BJP in Gujarat. He had also predicted a 'zabardast' victory for his party.

The first phase of voting for the 182-member Assembly was held on December 9 and covered 89 seats. The counting of votes will be on December 18. 

In the 2012 Gujarat Assembly polls, the BJP had won 115 seats, while the Congress had bagged 61.