Exit polls are a better barometer of result than the opinion polls, and are able to direct the trend, even as they are not quite accurate in terms of seats, Emkay noted.
The impending results of the recent state elections prompt reflection on historical disparities between exit polls and actual outcomes. Notable instances, such as the 2004 Lok Sabha and 2014 elections, underscore the unpredictability of these forecasts. Despite exit polls favoring the BJP-led NDA, actual results often diverged significantly. As the nation awaits the latest results, these past discrepancies serve as a reminder of the inherent uncertainty in electoral predictions, leaving the outcome of the current elections shrouded in anticipation.
The extreme divergence between two prominent polling agencies has made MP tough to call. If BJP wins, credit will go to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. But Congress ran one of its best campaigns in MP, though its poll guarantees that worked in other states may have been neutralised by Chouhan’s Ladli Behna Yojana