Finally the results which everybody was waiting for has been released. According to a reliable source the exit poll results have a close contest between the Congress and the BJP with the Congress leading with a marginal number of seats. Also, the Third Front will have to play an important role with a single party not able to get the minimum majority required to hold power at the Centre.
A summary of the results are given below with the Congress leading by a slender margin:
Congress+ : 185 – 205
BJP + : 165 – 185
Thrid Front : 110 – 130
Others: Remaing seats
The results of Tamil Nadu constituency have not been included in the results and the small difference may be easily swiped out when those figures come out in a few days. Critics are also of the opinion that the figures are only a mere guess work with each media company conducting it’s own poll. They also go on to say that the lead is so slender that one cannot be very sure about the exit poll and anything can happen in reality.
Speculations were very ripe in the Indian political community since morning today. To add to it were the sentiments of the common public. Even the stock market was not spared with wild swings in the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) with both closing in the red for the day. Well, the exit poll results are out but one may argue that it is not complete. For the moment, though, it is Congress on the cards with the ultimate power to rule the country. Everything will be crystal clear on the 16th of May, 2009 when the results will be offically declared.