NEW DELHI, April 29: Assam is heading for a photo-finish in the Assembly elections with the UPA looking poised to close the gap with the ruling NDA.
As per the CVoter Exit Poll for Times Now/ABP News, the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win 65 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly, just one more than the majority mark of 64, with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) closely following on its heels with 59 seats.
The projected seats are 53 to 66 for the UPA and 58 to 71 for the NDA.
The UPA will gain 33 seats with its biggest gain in lower Assam with 12 seats and 9 seats in the Barak Valley. The UPA will get 22 seats in lower Assam, while it will loose one seat in the hills.
As per the exit poll, the Congress-led 10-party ‘Mahajot’ (grand alliance) will get 48.8 per cent votes, while the NDA will get 42.9 per cent and others 8.3 per cent.
There is a 17.8 per cent vote swing in favour of the UPA, and 1.4 per cent swing in favour of the NDA. In 2016, the UPA had got 31 per cent votes, while the NDA managed 41.5 per cent votes and 27.5 per cent.
The NDA is set to loose 21 seats with highest loss of 7 seats in lower Assam and Barak Valley.
In the Bodoland the NDA is set to win 10 seats, while in the tea estate areas it is poised to win 29 seats, repeating its 2016 performance.
The 126-member Assam Assembly may see a hung Assembly and Independents and others will be the key players in such a scenario.
Assam went to polls in three phases and the counting will take place on May 2.