Exit polls project tight race in Bengal

New Delhi: Exit polls on Thursday forecast a tight contest between the incumbent TMC and the BJP in the high-profile West Bengal Assembly polls and put the saffron combine ahead in Assam, while projecting a win for the ruling Left alliance in Kerala and for the DMK-led opposition in Tamil Nadu.

The exit poll numbers were largely a setback for the Congress, which while falling short in Assam and Kerala may also lose its government in Puducherry to the opposition alliance of AINRC-BJP-AIADMK.

Exit polls were, however, divided in their forecast for the West Bengal polls, where the BJP ran a high-octane campaign in its bid to capture power for the first time by ending Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's 10-year old reign.

India Today-Axis My India predicted a neck-and-neck contest in West Bengal, giving the BJP 134-160 and the TMC 130-156 seats.

Republic-CNX polls gave the BJP 138-148 seats and 128-138 to the TMC. Times Now-C Voter predicted a clear majority for the TMC with 158 seats and 115 for the BJP.

Jan Ki Baat exit polls gave BJP 162-185 seats against 104-121 to the ruling TMC.