Opinion Poll 2024 Highlights: BJP projected to sweep Uttar Pradesh with record mandate

The live blog session has concluded. For more news, views and updates, stay tuned with Moneycontrol.com

The Women's Reservation Bill reserving 33 percent of Lok Sabha and state assembly seats for women, has found support from a majority of Indians, with 68 percent of those polled for a pre-election survey conducted by Network 18 saying they supported the move. Surprisingly, support from the rural population stood higher than from their urban counterparts—70 percent of respondents in rural areas supported the bill compared with 65 percent in urban areas. Read more

The BJP is set to win a record mandate in Uttar Pradesh and repeat its 2019 feat in several Hindi heartland states, according to News18's Mega Opinion Poll.In the 7 Hindi heartland states covered on Day 1, the BJP's strike rate in 2024 is projected to be 92%, higher than its 2019 strike rate of 89.4% in the same region. Read more

According to News18 opinion poll, nearly one-third of Muslims in India believe that the Ram temple in Ayodhyais a symbol of national pride and unity. As many as 9,449 Sunni Muslims were asked whether the establishment of the Ram Mandir is a matter of national pride or not.

BJP projected to win 77 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the biggest state. INDIA is predicted to win two seats, while Mayawati-led BSP is likely to secure one seat

About 60 percent of the respondents agreed that the Ram Temple symbolises India’s pride while 20 percent did not agree, says News18's Mega Opinion Poll. The respondents were aged between 18 and 66 plus years. Of these 1,18,616 respondents, 64,453 were men and 54,163 were women. Read more

BJP-led NDA will win all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, according to News18's Mega Opinion Poll. NDA will record a vote share of 58 percent while the INDIA bloc will see 39 percent without winning any seat, said the survey.

The survey of News18 opinion poll predicts a high level of optimism in the economy, with two out of every three Indians polled saying their economic situation is now better than what it was five years ago. The survey, which received 1.19 lakh responses, saw 67 percent declaring that they were situated better financially than they were five years ago, with 68 percent of males and 64 percent of females agreeing with the same. Read more

Bharatiya Janata Party is predicted to sweep the state of Haryana in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls, according to a News18's Mega Opinion Poll. Haryana plunged into a political crisis after Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala’s JJP pulled out of the ruling alliance over reported differences in seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections. Read more

Bharatiya Janata Party is predicted to sweep the state of Haryana in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls, according to a News18's Mega Opinion Poll. Haryana plunged into a political crisis after Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala’s JJP pulled out of the ruling alliance over reported differences in seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections. Read more

Bharatiya Janata Party is predicted to sweep the state of Haryana in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls, according to a News18's Mega Opinion Poll. Haryana plunged into a political crisis after Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala’s JJP pulled out of the ruling alliance over reported differences in seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections. Read more

Bharatiya Janata Party is predicted to sweep the state of Haryana in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls, according to a News18's Mega Opinion Poll. Haryana plunged into a political crisis after Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala’s JJP pulled out of the ruling alliance over reported differences in seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections. Read more

The News18 Mega Opinion Poll suggests Congress is likely to secure seven seats, while AAP, currently ruling in Punjab, is predicted to win only one Lok Sabha seat in the state, while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is expected to register victory on three seat and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is tipped to win two seats. Read more

The mega opinion poll, which received 1.19 lakh responses, predicted BJP to sweep the state of Himachal Pradesh by winning all 4 seats in upcoming elections

The survey of News18 opinion poll predicts a high level of optimism in the economy, with two out of every three Indians polled saying their economic situation is now better than what it was five years ago. The survey, which received 1.19 lakh responses, saw 67 percent declaring that they were situated better financially than they were five years ago, with 68 percent of males and 64 percent of females agreeing with the same. Read more

News18 opinion poll shows, NDA is likely to win all 10 Haryana Lok Sabha seats in upcoming elections.

According to the News18 opinion poll, DMK-Cong to dominate in Tamil Nadu. INDIA bloc is likely to win 30 seats outs of 39 TN seats and NDA is predicted to win 5 seats with ADMK likely to win 4 ok Sabha seats. Read more

According to a News18 opinion poll of more than 1 lakh people, jobs, inflation, and law and order top the agenda for voters, with religion and infrastructure and development coming lower down the list. Read more

According to the opinion poll, BJP is likely to win 28 out 29 Madhya Pradesh LS seats

INDIA bloc is predicted to win 14 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will bag two seats and Left Democratic Front will win four seats too, according to News18 poll survey. Read more

News18 Mega Opinion Poll shows that when it comes to people's awareness about Government's welfare schemes, Jan Dhan Yojana scores the most at 51%, Ayushman Bharat at 40%.Awareness about the Jal Jeevan Mission is 56% among respondents and for PM Awas Yojana the number is 53%, while for PM-Kisan it is 51%. Read more

The BJP-led NDA will win 38 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, News18's Mega Opinion Poll has revealed.The survey has predicted 58% vote share for the NDA, 28% for INDIA and 14% for others. Read more

The survey shows that about 85% of respondents will Vote for BJP because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi irrespective of the candidate in their constituency

According to News18 Network’s Mega Opinion Poll, 73% respondents believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a more honest leader

Follow Moneycontrol.com for state-wise seat and vote share projections

The survey for opinon poll has achieved a massive sample size of over 1.18 lakh respondents across various demographic backgrounds

The results of the News18 Mega Opinion Poll will be broadcast across all 20 News18 network channels, including News18 India, CNN-News18 and News18 regional channels, in 16 languages. The results will also be released on News18’s 16 websites and Moneycontrol.com.

News18 is set to unveil India’s largest opinion poll to gauge the pulse of voters ahead of Lok Sabha elections.The survey spanned all Lok Sabha constituencies across 21 states, totalling 518 seats, with 210 interviews conducted with eligible voters in each constituency.

Election Commission will disclose all details on electoral bonds in time: CEC Rajiv Kumar

- AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman said, "...We will contest elections on 11 out of 40 seats in Bihar's Araria, Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ujiarpur, Karakat, Buxar, Gaya and Bhagalpur..."

- BRS president and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday launched his campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls by attacking the ruling Congress government over the alleged problems in power and water supply for farmers, the "language used by" Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy against him and others.

- Addressing a rally at Karimnagar on March 12, he also hit out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, asking why should people vote for the saffron party when it has not sanctioned even a single Navodaya school to the state despite its entitlement.

- Former Haryana chief minister M L Khattar announces resignation from Assembly.

- BJP on March 13 released list of candidates for all 60 assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Pema Khandu to contest from Mukto.

- Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief TTV Dhinakaran announced his party's unconditional support to the BJP for the soon to be announced Lok Sabha polls.

- Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Bharatsinh Solanki on Tuesday said he does not wish to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and rather wants to focus on campaigning for the party.

- The 70-year-old former Gujarat Congress president, however, also said he will accept whatever decision is taken by the party leadership.

- CM Nayab Singh Saini-led Haryana Government wins the Floor Test in the State Assembly.

- Bhojpuri singer-actor Pawan Singh said that he will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

- Read full story here.

- A team from the poll body, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, is on a three-day visit to the Union Territory.

- Election Commission of India (ECI) is considering holding simultaneous assembly and parliamentary polls.

- More here.

- Ajay Kapoor, Congress National General Secretary, joins the BJP in Delhi.

"...Chinese Army personnel get training to use modern weapons for 3-4 years. If our Agniveers, who are trained for six months, are made to face the Chinese soldiers, can you imagine what will happen then? Our Agniveer will go without training and lay down his life but still, he will not get the status of a martyr..."

Rahul Gandhi announces 'Mahila Nyay' guarantees, including Rs 1 lakh to poor women, 50 pc quota in govt jobs and hostels for women

- AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman said, "...We will contest elections on 11 out of 40 seats in Bihar's Araria, Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ujiarpur, Karakat, Buxar, Gaya and Bhagalpur..."

- During his 110th Mann ki Baat address on February 26, Prime Minister Modi lauded the Election Commission of India's new campaign ‘Mera Pehla Vote – Desh Ke Liye’.

- Through the campaign, first time voters have been especially requested to vote in maximum numbers, said PM Modi.

- Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, "...As the elections approach, there will be havoc in the Congress party because there is no one to strengthen the party."

- "50 per cent of the Congress party will be reduced as the elections approach," he added.

- Ahead of announcing schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has amended a key rule relating to the allocation of party symbols to make it applicable in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

- A notification issued by the poll panel on March 11 said Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 stands amended and will come into force with "immediate effect".

- Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has again asked Union minister Nitin Gadkari to leave the BJP if he is being "insulted", saying the opposition in Maharashtra would ensure his victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

- Speaking at a rally at Pusad in eastern Maharashtra's Yavatmal district on Tuesday, Thackeray said people like (former Congress leader) Kripashankar Singh, whom the BJP once targeted (over alleged corruption), figured in the saffron party's first list of candidates along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but Gadkari's name was missing.

- The Opposition Trinamool Congress has selected former minister Zenith M Sangma as its candidate for the Tura parliamentary seat in south Meghalaya, which is currently held by the ruling National People's Party's Agatha K Sangma.

- This move is seen as an indirect snub against the INDIA bloc member Congress, which had previously announced Saleng A Sangma as its candidate.

- Expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam and AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran held late night seat-sharing talks with the BJP here for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, with OPS insisting that his candidates will contest from the Two Leaves symbol.

- The talks that started late on Tuesday extended to the early hours of Wednesday. OPS and Dhinakaran, who had announced joining the BJP-led NDA two days ago, were in discussion with a delegation of the saffron party comprising Union Minister G Kishan Reddy and its Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai among others.

- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act ahead of the Lok Sabha polls was a "dirty vote bank politics" of the BJP and asserted that people want this law to be repealed.

- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday rejected suggestions that senior party leaders are shying away from contesting the Lok Sabha polls and said that if workers ask him to fight the elections he may do so.

- He, however, indicated that he may not enter the poll fray this time with age being a factor.

- Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Padmakar Valvi joins BJP, in the presence of state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule and party leader Ashok Chavan, in Mumbai.

- Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We have provided four guarantees. The first is to ensure justice for the people. Secondly, for farmers, we will enact the MSP guarantee law."

- "The third guarantee is the 'Yuva Nyay' guarantee, which involves filling vacant job positions after the formation of our government. Lastly, the fourth guarantee is the 'Adivasi Nyay' guarantee," he added.

- Preneet Kaur, a prominent figure within the Congress party, will reportedly transition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tomorrow, according to a News18 report.
- Currently under suspension by the Congress on allegations of engaging in activities contrary to the party's interests, Preneet openly aligns herself with the saffron party in her stronghold of Patiala.
- A Lok Sabha representative, Preneet is the spouse of former Congress leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who has since joined the BJP and is actively involved in facilitating a potential alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

- Congress leader Surendra Rajput lashes out at BJP on CAA implementation, "Amit Shah and the BJP are not being truthful. Amit Shah should disclose the rationale behind granting citizenship based on religion in the CAA. Why can't citizenship be bestowed upon minorities facing persecution without any religious criteria?"

- Congress leader Jairam Ramesh speaks further on CAA implementation, "The governments of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have declared that they will not implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Our opposition to the CAA stems from the belief that granting citizenship based on religion contradicts the principles of the Constitution. This stance has also been contested in the Supreme Court. The question is why did it take four years and three months for them to initiate its implementation?"

- Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has asserted that the Congress is engaging in a "lost battle", as evidenced by its initial roster of candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections lacking prominent figures for Madhya Pradesh seats.
- Yadav, a prominent figure within the BJP, in an interaction with the press made this comment, at Raipur's Swami Vivekananda Airport on March 12, following his day-long visit to Chhattisgarh, which is also governed by the BJP.

- Jairam Ramesh comments on the implementation of CAA, "The reality remains that it required four years and three months to enact these regulations. The legislation was approved in December 2019, sparking controversy due to its departure from constitutional norms that dictate citizenship should not be contingent on religion. Despite this, the law was pushed through Parliament with a commanding majority. However, the question arises: why did it take so long to finalise the accompanying rules?"

- BRS president and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday launched his campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls by attacking the ruling Congress government over the alleged problems in power and water supply for farmers, the "language used by" Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy against him and others.

- Addressing a rally at Karimnagar, he also hit out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, asking why should people vote for the saffron party when it has not sanctioned even a single Navodaya school to the state despite its entitlement.

- Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, "A sitting Lok Sabha MP in Haryana left BJP and joined Congress. In Rajasthan too, a sitting Lok Sabha MP left the BJP and joined Congress. So, sitting MLAs and MPs are coming to us. Former legislators are going to BJP."

- "So, people should understand this. People who are accepting the Congress ideology and expressing trust in our leadership are being welcomed to the party and given an opportunity. I am happy that party has given opportunity to people on the basis of their performance and commitment to the party." he added.

- He also said, "I have visited several states, and a good atmosphere for the INDIA Alliance is forming...The main contest, especially in the north India, will be between Congress and BJP."

- On inviting suggestions from the public for the party manifesto ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil said, "We will be placing suggestion boxes at the party's district offices, temples and colleges across the state. From the Kamalam office in Gandhinagar, two suggestion boxes each are being sent to every Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat."

- "We will try to include the suggestions from the public in our poll manifesto," he added.

- The Election Commission on Monday asked its observers to ensure polls free of coercion and intimidation and pushed for judicious use of central and state forces keeping in mind that their deployment should not favour any particular party.

- Addressing a meeting of more than 2,100 general, police and expenditure observers here ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections and some state assembly polls, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar directed them to ensure a level-playing field for free and fair elections. The polls should be free of intimidation and inducement, he said.

- National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Monday said his party will raise the demand for holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir with the Election Commission of India (ECI) team, stating it would be an injustice to people if the assembly elections are postponed.

- The former chief minister also took a dig at the Congress over the seat-sharing issue, saying they are free to give any of the seats to the PDP, but it would be difficult for the regional party to secure a victory.

- Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Jammu and Kashmir BJP general secretary Ashok Koul on Tuesday launched a special micro-donation campaign for the party here and said the BJP is set to create record by registering victory by getting 76 per cent votes.

- Koul launched the special micro donation campaign for the BJP in a function held at Jammu-Reasi parliamentary constituency election office in Bakshi Nagar.

- All India Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Imtiaz Jaleel on Monday said the party has identified six Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra to field candidates.

- Jaleel, the MP from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) and also the party's state unit chief, however, did not give details of these six seats.

- The Trinamool Congress is likely to announce its candidate from the Tura Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya in a day or two, as per a PTI report.

- The party will also field its candidates on two to four seats in Assam and the names will be announced soon, they said. The state unit of the party will finalise the seats that will be "spread across Assam", the report added.

- Hours after he resigned as Haryana chief minister along with his cabinet ministers, senior BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar Tuesday hinted that he may be fielded by the party in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

- Khattar also said he has come to know that the JJP has decided to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls separately.

- In the list, out of the 43 candidates, 10 are General candidates, 13 OBC candidates, 10 SC candidates, 9 ST candidates and 1 Muslim candidate.

The grand old party has fielded Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh again. In the 2019 elections, Chhindwara was the only constituency in MP that Congress managed to win.