The Hindu : Close fight in U.P., say exit polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2002

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National

Close fight in U.P., say exit polls

NEW DELHI, FEB. 18. The Samajwadi Party appears to have forged ahead of others in the second phase of polling for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections held today, getting 52 of the 145 seats, making it a close contest in the first two phases, according to an exit poll by the Aaj Tak TV channel.

The exit poll, conducted after voting got over at 5 p.m., showed that the BJP was expected to get 46 seats, the BSP 34, the Congress seven and Independents six. The BJP was expected to be down by 11 seats while the SP, led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, was gaining six, the BSP five and Independents three.

In the two phases of polling for 237 seats, the exit polls showed it to be a neck and neck fight between the BJP and allies with 83 seats and the SP with 73 while the BSP was getting 61 and the Congress 12.

Exit polls by Zee News and Doordarshan too showed the SP to be comfortably ahead of the BJP and the BSP, with Zee giving it 54 and Doordarshan 65. While Aaj Tak put the BJP in second spot with 46 seats, Zee and Doordarshan put the ruling BJP-led alliance in third spot, giving it 36 and 30 respectively. The BSP was in second place, with Doordarshan giving it 32 and Zee 39.

Doordarshan and Zee placed the Congress a poor fourth with 15 and 10 seats respectively.

- PTI

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