Himachal Election Exit Poll Result 2022: Axis My India predicts tough fight, edge for Congress

Himachal Election Exit Poll Result 2022: The BJP, which is ruling the state, is predicted to win Himachal for the second consecutive term, according to exit polls. However, Axis My India has projected a close fight in the state. The Congress, however, is predicted to get 30-40 seats, which is higher than the projections for BJP.

Exit Poll results for Himachal Pradesh  

Axis My India: 24-34 (BJP) | 30-40 (Congress) | 0-0 (AAP) 

P-MARQ: 34-39 (BJP) | 28-33 (Congress) | 0-1 (AAP)   

Times Now: 38 (BJP) | 28 (Congress) | 0-1 (AAP) 

Jan Ki Baat: 32-40 (BJP) | 27-34 (Congress) | 0-0 (AAP)   

TV9: 33 (BJP) | 31 (Congress) | 0-0 (AAP)

Himachal, which changes government every five years, went to polls in a single phase on November 12. As per the data, 75.60 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the hilly state, with the highest in Sirmaur (79.91 per cent) followed by Solan (77.08), Kullu (76.98), Una (76.91), and Bilaspur (76.44). The lowest turnout was recorded in Hamirpur (71.80).

Traditionally, the BJP and Congress have ruled the state alternatively. In 2017, the BJP won the state from Congress by winning 44 of 68 seats. The grand old party could manage only 21 seats, 15 down from what it had got in 2012.

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In the previous election held in 2012, the Congress, then headed by former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, had won 36 seats with 42.81 per cent vote share while BJP got 26 seats with 38.47 per cent votes. Before that in 2007, the saffron party had won 41 seats while Congress got 23.

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This time, Himachal is expected to witness a three-way contest with the arrival of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). BJP and Congress are contesting on 68 seats each, while the AAP is fighting on 67 seats.

Besides these three, four other parties are in the fray. They are the Communist Party of India-Marxist (11 seats), Communist Party of India (1), Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (53), and Rashtriya Devbhumi Party (29).

BJP's sitting chief minister Jai Ram Thakur is contesting from the Seraj assembly seat, which he won in 2017 by securing 56.27 per cent votes.

Ahead of polls, some opinion polls predicted a clear edge for the BJP, with seats ranging from 31 to 46. A party needs 35 seats to form government in Himachal.  

The Election Commission will take up the counting on December 8 and announce the results the same day.