The Hindu : National : Survey predicts majority for Congress-NCP

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Saturday, Sep 18, 2004

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Survey predicts majority for Congress-NCP

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 17. The ruling Congress-NCP combine in Maharashtra will return to power securing a majority with 145-155 seats in the 288-member State Assembly, an NDTV-Indian Express opinion poll showed tonight.

The survey projected the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, main challenger of the Congress-NCP, to finish with 120-130 seats, while it gave others up to 15 seats.

The survey, which covered 100 constituencies and 29,613 people, showed a one per cent swing in favour of the ruling combine since the May Lok Sabha elections. In western Maharashtra, where 72 seats are at stake, the Congress-NCP was shown to be getting 45, far ahead of the BJP-Sena 21 and others six seats, while in the Konkan region with 30 seats, the saffron combine was way ahead with 17 seats as against nine for the Congress-NCP.

In Mumbai, where there are 38 seats up for grabs, the Congress-NCP is likely to get 20, BJP-SS 14 and others two.

Yesterday, the opinion poll had projected the Congress-NCP to do well in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions but the Sena-BJP is likely to do well in northern Maharashtra.

The poll shows the NCP chief, Sharad Pawar, leading the popularity chart of Congress-NCP leaders for the Chief Minister's post logging 33 per cent of the votes, ahead of incumbent Sushilkumar Shinde (30 per cent).

Among saffron leaders, the Sena chief, Bal Thackeray's popularity rating for the top slot in the state stood at 33 per cent while BJP's Pramod Mahajan was favoured by 19 per cent voters and Gopinath Munde by 16 per cent.

The popularity of Uddhav, the son of Bal Thackeray and considered the heir apparent, was at 10 per cent. — PTI

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