Now that the second-phase of Assembly polls in Gujarat (held yesterday) is over, all eyes are now fixed on 18th December in their calendars as Monday would be the D-Day for the BJP and the Congress when counting of votes in Gujarat and Haryana (where Assembly polls were held last month) would be taken up.

Exit polls by various television news channels, conducted after the first phase of Assembly polls in Gujarat on 09th December (when 89 constituencies voted last week), have predicted that despite the opposition Congress strongly challenging the ruling party in Gujarat, the BJP is likely to retain its stranglehold over the State by winning yet another term in the office.

Yesterday’s polling during the second phase covered the remaining 93 constituencies means that the overall polling percentage is 63%. Counting of votes would commence in 18th December (Monday) along with that of the Haryana Assembly polls held last month. It may be recalled that the BJP has been in saddle in Gandhinagar since 1998. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held the chief-minister’s post in Gujarat on four occasions before becoming the Premier in May, 2014.

Being the Prime Minister’s home-State, the BJP top brass accorded top priority to the campaigning prior to the Assembly polls and got its frontline leaders, MPs and Union Ministers to campaign tirelessly to ensure the party’s win. 93 seats are required for any party to gain simple majority to rule in Gujarat. Following are exit poll predictions by a few television channels:

•    Times Now: BJP - 109, Congress – 70;
•    Sahara Samay: BJP - 110-120, Congress - 65-75;
•    News X-CNX: BJP - 115, Congress – 65;
•    2 Republic TV: BJP - 108, Congress – 74; and 
•    TV9: BJP - 108, Congress – 74