Tue Oct 08 11:50:53 UTC 2024: ## BJP Leading in Haryana Assembly Election 2024: Exit Polls Proven Wrong Again
**Chandigarh:** The initial trends of the Haryana Assembly Election 2024, released on Tuesday, show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading with 48 seats, while the Congress is ahead on 33 seats, according to the latest data available on the Election Commission website. This result marks another instance where exit polls in the state have been proven incorrect.
The counting began at 8 am, with a close contest between the BJP and Congress. Initial trends on TV channels favored the Congress, but the ruling BJP quickly gained momentum. The early trends suggested that exit polls might be accurate this time, predicting a Congress victory. However, the situation changed as the day progressed.
By 10:20 am, the Election Commission website showed the BJP ahead on 48 seats and Congress on 34 seats. A majority in the 90-member Haryana Assembly requires 46 seats. In contrast, most pre-poll surveys conducted on Saturday predicted a Congress majority.
The Julana constituency witnessed a surprise setback for the Congress, with the candidate, Vinesh Phogat, trailing. This is not the first time that exit polls have failed in Haryana. In the 2019 Assembly elections, similar predictions were made, but the actual results deviated significantly. While the India Today Axis survey was relatively accurate then, other polls were completely wrong.
The 2019 election trends predicted 32 to 44 seats for the NDA, 30 to 42 for the UPA, and 6 to 10 seats for others. The final outcome, however, saw the BJP winning 40 seats, Congress 31, JJP 10, Independents 7, and INLD 1.
The Haryana election results are once again mirroring this pattern, emphasizing the unpredictability of state elections and the need for cautious interpretation of exit polls.
First Piper 