"Exit polls predict 360 but exact polls on June 4 will show over 400 seats": Goa CM Pramod Sawant

Panaji (Goa) [India], June 1 (ANI): After the exit polls predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is poised to retain power at the Centre with a thumping majority and register its third straight win in the Lok Sabha polls, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the exit polls show 360 seats in favour of NDA but the exact polls on June 4 will show more than 400 seats.

Talking about the different exit polls released on Saturday, Pramod Sawant said, "Different channels and agencies are showing different data on today's exit polls, but one thing is for sure that the BJP-led NDA is winning nearly 360 seats according to the exit polls."

He added, "The exit polls show 360 seats but when the exact polls will come on June 4, the NDA will secure more than 400 seats..."

Taking a jibe at the Congress, Sawant said, "Certainly, Congress' decision to participate in exit poll debates shows that they have accepted their defeat..."

The exit polls predicted that the ruling BJP-led NDA is poised to improve its performance over its 2019 record when it won 352 seats. Two exit polls predicted the BJP also improving its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP-led NDA improved its numbers in 2019 Lok Sabha polls compared to the 2014 election. It is again poised for an upward trajectory, the exit polls predicted. The pollsters gave varying numbers to the INDIA bloc, a grouping of parties opposed to the BJP, but predicted that it will perform better than the Congress-led UPA in 2019.

The Republic PMarq exit poll gave 359 of 543 seats to NDA, 154 to INDIA bloc and 30 to others. Republic Matrize poll gave 353-368 seats to NDA, 118-113 to the INDIA bloc and 43-48 to others. The NewsX Dynamics gave 371 seats to NDA, 125 to INDIA bloc and 47 to others.

NewsX Dynamics exit poll has also predicted seats for different parties and said Congress will marginally improve from its tally of 52 seats in 2019.

It said the BJP is poised to win 315 seats, improving its 2019 tally of 303 seats. NewsX Dynamics exit poll predicted Congress winning 60 seats, DMK 22, Trinamool Congress 19, TDP 13, JD(U) 11, Shiv Sena (UBT) five, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) five, Shiv Sena eight, BJD eight, YSRCP seven, NCP four, Samajwadi Party 10, Rashtriya Janata Dal five, National Conference three, AAP three, AIADMK five, BRS two and JD(S) two seats.

The exit poll outcome was declared after the conclusion of polling for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls on Saturday. (ANI)