Predictions made by THE WEEK-Hansa election survey in the latest issue of the magazine have evoked tremendous interest among politicians of various hues. Predictably, not everybody is happy with the results forecast by the survey. In Goa, the survey has suggested that the BJP will need one to three more seats to gain simple majority in the 40-member assembly. Said Francis D’Souza, deputy chief minister of Goa, to THE WEEK, “Your survey results are not accurate. We have performed well over the past five years. We expect anywhere between 24 and 26 seats.” D’Souza said that as the electorate in Goa was small, it was tricky for anyone to predict which way the votes would swing on the voting day.
In Uttar Pradesh, THE WEEK’s survey has suggested that the BJP will need more than 10 seats to get a simple majority. The state has 403 assembly seats. The survey has predicted 192-196 seats for the BJP, 178-182 seats for the alliance of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, and 20-24 seats for the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Said Lalji Tandon, BJP stalwart and former Union minister, to THE WEEK, “Your survey is wrong. There is a strong undercurrent in favour of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP will get at least 250 seats or more.” Tandon said that the party had, so far, announced names of only 370 candidates, and it was not right to assess which party would have an edge before the entire list of candidates was out.
The Congress is optimistic about its prospects in Punjab. Said Congress MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon to THE WEEK, “Your survey results for Punjab are accurate and spot on. It shows the popularity of our chief minister candidate, Capt Amarinder Singh. People have tremendous faith in him. He has done so much for the state. We knew Narendra Modi’s magic will not work in Punjab.”
Of 117 seats in Punjab, the survey has predicted 49-51 seats for the Congress, 33-35 seats for the AAP and 28-30 seats for Akali Dal-BJP alliance.