On Friday, Ganguly was asked by reporters who would win the state. He refused to say. He asked how could he answer that? The answer will only be known once the votes are counted on Monday.
Multiple exit polls are showing the Bharatiya Janata Party might get a little more support than Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. In fact, one says the BJP could win 192 or more seats. However, the predictions are all over the place, and not all the people doing polls are looking at the same thing.
Exit polls hint at a BJP edge, with sharp divergences
Axis My India is waiting until Thursday to share its numbers for the state because the voting is finished and they want to be sure they’re accurate. Four of six other pollsters think the BJP will be in charge of the West Bengal government for the first time. This disagreement has made the situation more suspenseful, not less.
With people being very divided in their opinions, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has brushed off the exit polls. She claims they are a planned attempt by the BJP and what she refers to as ‘Godi media’ to sway what people think and to prevent the stock market from falling a lot. This accusation shows how much both sides are fighting to control the story and how people see things.
Here is what major pollsters have projected so far:
– Today’s Chanakya: BJP 192 plus, massive win projected
– Praja Poll: BJP 178-208, TMC 85-110
– P-Marq: BJP 150-175, TMC 118-138
– Matrize: BJP 146-161
– Poll Diary: BJP 142-171, TMC 99-127
– Janmat Polls: TMC 195-205, BJP 80-90
TMC pushback and a charged political climate
Informal betting is also making things complicated, with people saying there is a strong swing toward the BJP. These unofficial opinions add to the questioning of the predictions and make the public even more curious.
Ganguly, who used to be the President of the BCCI and is a very popular person in West Bengal, is remaining neutral. He’s simply pointing out that exit polls aren’t the actual results. In a state that usually has very close elections, his advice to wait for the official counting of the votes feels right to many.
Why Ganguly’s caution lands with voters
By not choosing a side, Ganguly is showing how unpredictable the election is. And actually, that feeling of uncertainty is probably what a lot of voters are experiencing.
What comes next
West Bengal will have its answers on Monday, when the ballots are opened and the counting of votes reveals the final outcome. We’ll then know if the TMC will keep their power or if the BJP will get a majority.
Until then, Ganguly’s point is important: the voters are the ones who have the final decision, not the predictions.
