BJP to be single largest party in Maha, Haryana: Opinion poll

BJP is set to emerge as the single largest party in the October 15 Maharashtra and Haryana assembly polls, but may fall short of majority, according to a Maharashtra opinion poll.

In Maharashtra, the India TV-C Voter poll gives a 132-142 seat range to BJP in the 288-seat assembly, followed by Shiv Sena with seats between 50 and 60.

NCP has been given a seat range of 31-41 and Congress 38- 48, a statement from India TV said quoting the survey.

Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has been given seats ranging from 8 to 14, while smaller parties and Independents may win three to nine seats, the survey said.

Vote share wise, BJP has been predicted 28 per cent votes, followed by Shiv Sena (19.7 per cent), NCP (13.7 per cent), Congress (21.2 per cent) and MNS (7 per cent).

In the 2009 assembly polls in Maharashtra, the Congress-NCP alliance had won 144 seats, BJP-Shiv Sena alliance 90, while others won 54 seats.

In the 90-seat Haryana assembly, BJP is projected to emerge as the single largest party with 34 seats, closely followed by Om Prakash Chautala's INLD with 27 seats. Congress, which is ruling the state for a decade is projected to emerge at number three with 16 seats.

Haryana Janhit Congress-Haryana Jan Chetna Party alliance may win nine seats, with the remaining four going to others and Independents.

In 2009 polls, Congress had won 40 seats in Haryana, INLD 31, BJP four, HJC and HJP 6 and others nine seats.

Regarding the choice of the respondents about the next chief minister, in Maharashtra Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has emerged the frontrunner with 16.3 per cent people supporting him. Present incumbent Prithviraj Chavan follows closely with 15.5 per cent support. State BJP leader Devendra Phadnavis comes a close third with 15.3 per cent support. 8.2 per cent of the respondents have supported MNS chief Raj Thackeray and 7.6 per cent favouring NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

In Haryana, incumbent Bhupinder Singh Hooda has emerged the frontrunner with 24.8 per cent respondents supporting him. 22 per cent favoured INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala and 8.9 per cent supporting BJP's Capt Abhimanyu. Another BJP leader and Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh got the support of 5.1 per cent of the respondents.