West Bengal Exit Polls 2024: BJP Predicted to Make Major Gains Against TMC”
Exit polls are hinting at a significant shift in West Bengal’s political landscape, with the BJP, renowned for its aggressive campaign against Mamata Banerjee, potentially making substantial gains in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Matrize and Jan Ki Baat, two reputable polls, project the BJP to secure 21-25 and 21-26 seats, respectively, a potential game-changer in the state’s political dynamics.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), currently in power but having suffered significant seat losses in 2019, could face further setbacks if these predictions hold true on June 4. The potential shift in power could have significant implications for the governance of West Bengal, with the BJP gaining more influence. Matrize anticipates the TMC to secure 16-20 seats, while Jan Ki Baat projects 16-18 seats. Another exit poll by PMARQ envisions the BJP winning 22 seats and the TMC 20. D-Dynamics predicts the BJP will secure 21 seats and the TMC 19, potentially signaling a shift in the state’s political landscape.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP made significant strides, winning 18 of the 42 seats in West Bengal, while the TMC secured 22. The TMC’s vote share was 43.28%, a mere 3% higher than the BJP’s 40.25%. This marked a significant leap for the BJP from 2014, when it only won 2 seats with nearly 17% of the vote. The TMC, on the other hand, lost 12 seats compared to the 34 it held in 2014, indicating a potential shift in the state’s political landscape. These elections were marked by intense campaigning and political rivalries, setting the stage for the 2024 elections.
The campaign in West Bengal saw intense exchanges between the two parties. If the exit polls are accurate, the BJP continues to make inroads in the state.
West Bengal’s election of 42 members of the 18th Lok Sabha was held over seven phases from April 19 to June 1. Voter turnout was high throughout, with the first phase seeing 82% participation and subsequent phases recording 72%, 77.53%, 80.22%, 78.45%, and 82.71%.
West Bengal has the third-highest number of Lok Sabha seats in India, with 42 seats in total. Of these, 30 are unreserved, 10 are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates, and two are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates.
Several prominent candidates contested in various constituencies. Abhishek Banerjee (AITC) and Amrita Roy (BJP) ran from Diamond Harbour and Krishnanagar. Mahua Moitra (AITC) also contested from Krishnanagar. In Tamluk, Abhijit Gangopadhyay represented the BJP. Baharampur saw a three-way contest among Yusuf Pathan (AITC), Nirmal Kumar Saha (BJP), and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (INC). In Kolkata Uttar, the leading contenders were Sudip Bandyopadhyay (AITC), Tapas Roy (BJP), and Pradip Bhattacharya (INC). Shatrughan Sinha represented AITC in Asansol.
The results will be announced on June 4, 2024. In 2019, TMC won 22 seats, BJP 18, and Congress 2 in West Bengal. The main parties vying for seats this year are the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), which is currently in power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been making significant gains in recent years, and a coalition of the Left Front and Indian National Congress, which is seeking to regain its influence in the state.
The model code of conduct, a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India to ensure free and fair elections, has been in effect since March 16 and will remain until the vote counting is completed on June 4. This code prohibits political parties from making promises that could influence voters, among other things.