The Bharatiya Janata Party is projected to get a majority in Jharkhand while Jammu and Kashmir may return a hung verdict with PDP emerging as the single largest party followed by BJP in assembly elections in the two states, according to two separate exit polls on Saturday.
As curtains came down on polling in the two states, India TV-CVoter exit poll has predicted 37-45 seats for BJP and ally AJSU in 81-seat Jharkhand Assembly while Todays Chanakya has projected a saffron sweep, giving the party 61 seats. Its overall tally may go up or come down by eight seats, it added.
The BJP is, however, likely to fall much short of its mission-44 target in the 87-member J&K Assembly. India TV has put its likely tally in the state at 27-33 seats with a lion's share, 25-31, coming from Jammu region.
The ruling National Conference may register its worst-ever performance and is predicted by India TV poll to come third.
India TV has projected 32-38 seats for Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led PDP. National Conference will come third by winning only 8-14 seats, followed by Congress with 4-10 seats. Others may get 2-8 seats.
The Peoples Democratic Party is projected to put up a remarkable show in the Kashmir valley and expected to win 29-35 of 46 seats in the region. The poll has projected 7-13 seats for NC and 0-2 for Congress in the Valley.
The BJP, which had run an aggressive campaign in Kashmir with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing rallies, could draw a blank in the Valley. Its expected tally is 0-1.
Both BJP and Congress are forecast to pick 1-3 seats in Ladakh, which has four Assembly constituencies.
In previous J&K assembly polls in 2008, NC had won 28, PDP 21, Congress 17 and BJP 11 seats while others triumphed in 10 places.
In Jharkhand, ruling JMM has been projected by India TV to win 15-23 seats while Todays Chanakya has given it 12 seats with a margin of four on either side.
Congress is expected to get 3-7 seats and 4 seats, India TV and Todays Chanakya respectively said.
In the last Jharkhand elections, the BJP and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha had won 18 seats each followed by Congress with 14. Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi-led JVM, which had won 11 seats in previous polls, is projected to fare poorly.
Image: An elderly voter shows his inked finger after casting vote at a polling station for the fifth phase of J&K assembly elections on Saturday. Exit polls suggest that the state may throw up a hung assembly. PTI
