The Hindu : National : Opinion polls divided

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 06, 2004

National

National

Opinion polls divided

NEW DELHI, OCT. 5. Opinion polls by two television news channels were sharply divided on the outcome of the Maharashtra Assembly polls with the NDTV-Indian Express projecting a hung House and the Aaj Tak-ORG-MARG survey giving a comfortable majority to the ruling Congress-NCP-led alliance. The NDTV-Indian Express poll showed the Congress-NCP alliance likely to emerge with the largest number of seats — 132 out of the total of 288 — and the BJP-Shiv Sena to getting 111 seats with others, including the rebels, taking 45; thus neither of the alliances getting a majority on its own.

Damaging factor

The opinion poll conducted over five regions in the State with a sample size of over 30,000 showed rebels are likely to damage the electoral prospects of both the alliances.

By contrast, the Aaj Tak-ORG-MARG survey, with a voter sample size of 15,000 across 144 constituencies, predicted the Congress-NCP bagging 165-175 seats, with the BJP-Sena likely to get 95-105 seats and others 15-20 seats. According to the NDTV-Indian Express poll, in Western Maharashtra where 72 Assembly seats are at stake, the Congress-NCP is expected to get 43 seats while the BJP-Sena has been projected to get 17 seats. In Vidarbha, with a total of 66 seats, the Congress-NCP is expected to get 23 seats while the other alliance 31 and in Marathwada, with 48 seats, the ruling front is expected to get 19 seats, the BJP-Shiv Sena getting 21 seats, the poll said. In Northern Maharashtra, the Congress-NCP is expected to bag 14 of the 36 seats up for grabs, with the BJP-Sena getting 16, while out of the 36 seats in Mumbai, the ruling alliance is expected to secure 24 with the saffron combine getting 10 seats.

— PTI

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