As the final hours tick down to the release of exit polls 2024, prominent Indian poll strategist Prashant Kishor maintains his forecast for the Lok Sabha election outcomes. Following today’s concluding voting phase, all news channels are set to broadcast exit polls starting at 6:30 pm.
Kishor sees the BJP securing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections comparable or slightly better to the 2019 results. "According to my assessment, BJP is going to come back with the same or slightly better numbers. In western and northern India, I don't see a significant shift in the number of seats. The party has gained adequate support from regions in the east and south of India," Kishor said in an interview to The Print.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP bagged 303 seats, with significant wins across northern and western India. Kishor suggests a potential rise in the BJP’s seat tally and vote share in the eastern and southern states. He noted the party's increased efforts to bolster its presence in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, anticipating gains due to the electorate's relative unfamiliarity with the BJP in these regions.
Kishor had earlier reiterated his confidence in the BJP's prospects, suggesting that the absence of a formidable opposition would likely secure a continued mandate for the party. Speaking to NDTV, he said, "I think Modi-led BJP is returning. They may get the same numbers as last election or do slightly better. Unless there is widespread anger or clamour for the rivals, I do not think a big change will be seen."
He further critiqued the opposition's lack of a unified, credible figurehead, pointing out, "No matter how much the Opposition tries, the public perception is that it has no clear, credible face. There is an absence of widespread anger against the incumbent or a clamour for somebody who is a challenger. So I don't think there would be a huge change in numbers."