Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018 Opinion Poll: Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP to Storm Back to Power With 153 Seats
Elections in Madhya Pradesh are likely to be conducted in November-December, along with the states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The BJP has been ruling the state since the past 15 years.
New Delhi, April 25: In the first major opinion poll released ahead of the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections slated for later this year, the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to triumph.
The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP is predicted to storm back to power winning 153 of the total 230 seats in the vidhan sabha. The prime Opposition Congress, which was restricted to 51 in the last assembly polls, will improve its tally upto 58, the Times Now survey claimed.
The Bahujan Samaj Party, which won four seats in the 2013 assembly polls, could end up winning 12 in the forthcoming elections. Meanwhile, the strength of Independent legislators could rise up to 14, as compared to three in the outgoing assembly.
MP Assembly Elections 2018: Opinion Poll Predicts Saffron Sweep
| Party | Seats Won (2013) | Seats Predicted (2018) | Segments’ Swing |
| BJP | 165 | 153 | -12 |
| Congress | 51 | 58 | +7 |
| BSP | 04 | 12 | +8 |
| Others | 03 | 14 | +11 |
The survey participants were also quizzed on their most preferred chief ministerial choice. While 61 per cent reaffirmed faith in the incumbent CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, only 17 per cent said they would want Congress' Jyotiraditya Scindia to be projected as the CM candidate. Meanwhile, Congress state unit chief Ajay Singh, party veteran Kamal Nath and ex-CM Digvijaya Singh were the choice of only 6, 5 and 4 per cent participants respectively.
Elections in Madhya Pradesh are likely to be conducted in November-December, along with the states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The BJP has been ruling the state since the past 15 years.
Although the Times Now opinion poll predicts the saffron rule to stay intact in MP, pollsters claim the road ahead will be strenuous for Chouhan as a significant section of the electorate will remain disappointed.
"As far as rural Madhya Pradesh goes, Shivraj ji will find it difficult to even ask for votes. The farmers have been oppressed by his government over the past five years," said Kedar Sirohi, who heads the Aam Kisan Union.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2018 11:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).