Lok Sabha Polls 2018: Piyush Goyal's own survey predicts about 300 seats for BJP
Union minister Piyush Goyal claimed Saturday a survey, commissioned by him, of over 5.4 lakh respondents across the country revealed the BJP will win between 297-303 seats in the next year's Lok Sabha polls.
The minister said he had conducted out a similar survey in 2013 that had predicted an absolute majority for the BJP in 2014, and it was right.
For the 2019 elections, the survey was conducted out in August-September, he said.
"I'm happy to share that the BJP looks to be between 297-303 seats by itself in the 2019 elections," he said at the annual ET awards here.
He said the survey was not done by the BJP but by a private agency, generally used by media houses.
Goyal said in this year's survey, there were 5.4 lakh respondents, which was an unheard of number in any such survey in the world.
Meanwhile, a nationwide survey conducted by India TV-CNX says that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ alliance of non-BJP parties, if it at all materialises, can reduce the ruling party BJP’s strength in Parliament.
If the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ of non-BJP parties does not materialize in UP, the BJP may win 55 out of total 80 seats, BSP 9, SP 9, Congress 5, RLD one and Apnal Dal one. Vote share in that case could be: BJP 39.19 pc, BSP 20 pc, SP 20.55 pc and Congress 11.91 pc.
It may be recalled that in the 2014 LS polls, BJP had won 71, SP had won 5, Congress had won 2 and Apna Dal had won 2 seats in UP out of a total of 80 seats.
In West Bengal, which has 42 Lok Sabha seats, the survey projections are very clear and the ruling Trinamool Congress is set to dominate the LS polls. TMC is projected to win 27 seats, BJP 8 seats, Left Front 5, and Congress two seats.
In the 2014 LS polls, TMC had won 34 seats, BJP 2, Left Front 2 and Congress 4 seats. Vote share-wise, TMC’s vote share from dip from 39.79 pc in 2014 to 36.2 pc this time, while BJP’s vote share may rise from 17.02 pc in 2014 to 27.77 pc this time.
In Odisha, which has 21 Lok Sabha seats, the ruling Biju Janata Dal may get 16 seats, leaving the remaining five seats to BJP. In the 2014 LS polls, BJD had won 20 seats leaving the remaining seat to BJP. Congress could not win a single seat.
Portions of India TV-CNX survey are broadcast every Thursday.
(With inputs with PTI)
