New Delhi, April 29 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari said on Wednesday that the party is encouraged by the trends indicated in exit polls for the Assembly elections held across five states, expressing strong optimism about a major electoral victory in West Bengal.
Speaking to IANS, Tiwari noted that elections were conducted in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry, and the exit poll projections suggest a favourable position for the BJP in most of these regions.
"According to the exit polls, we are leading in Puducherry, and in Assam we were expected to be ahead. In West Bengal too, the exit polls show us leading. In Tamil Nadu, the BJP-AIADMK alliance is in a neck-to-neck contest. In Kerala, we are slightly behind in the exit polls, but we are steadily working to win the trust of the people there," he said.
Highlighting the party's expectations in West Bengal, the BJP MP said that the exit poll findings have further boosted the confidence of party workers and leadership alike.
"What has happened in West Bengal is that the exit polls are reinforcing our confidence. In fact, we are even more hopeful -- our expectation is '180 plus', and I think it will happen," he added.
Tiwari also suggested that exit polls may not fully capture the voting behaviour in West Bengal.
According to the BJP MP, a significant section of voters may not be openly expressing their preferences.
"The exit polls are based on surveys, on what people have said. But a large section of Bengal's population is not speaking openly -- they are just pressing the lotus (BJP symbol). So I believe that will have a big impact," he added.
Meanwhile, speaking in Kolkata, West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya struck a cautious yet confident note, refraining from commenting directly on exit poll projections.
"I don't want to comment on the exit poll. The people of West Bengal did what they had to do with their thinking and intellect. We congratulate the people, the number of people who came out this time and participated in this process without any hesitation. On May 4, 'Didi' (Mamata Banerjee) is gone, there will be only one result," he said.
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