ABP-C pre-poll survey: Congress has edge over BRS in State

Bengaluru/Hyderabad: The ABP-C pre-poll voter survey has given a slight advantage to the Indian National Congress party (INC) in Telangana.

According to the opinion poll conducted by the ABP-C-voter conglomerate, though the INC has been placed at the top rung with 48-60 seats in the Assembly elections in November, it might have to face a tough competition from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) headed by K Chandrashekar Rao which may get 43-55 seats. The survey puts BJP at 5-11 seats. The BJP, despite PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah leading its campaign in Telangana might not make any substantial gain in vote share or in seats, as per the opinion poll.

It may be recalled that another major survey by Lok Poll in the last week had also placed INC in the number one slot with a moderate lead over the nearest competitor -BRS.

The Congress can gain nearly 39 per cent vote share in an upswing of 10.5 per cent, followed by the BRS at 37 per cent--in a decline of 9.4 per cent vote share.

Independent pollsters stated that the swing has been possible due to the fact that Congress has been active in OBC and Micro OBC caste survey which it had been promoting as a main campaign plank.

The party has been projected to jump from 28.3 per cent vote share in the last elections to 38.8 per cent which could be the biggest leap among the spectrum of parties contesting in Telangana. Its closest competitor BRS has been projected to suffer a reverse swing of 9.4 per cent.

The BRS had secured a vote share of 46.9 per cent in the last elections, but this time it will trail the Congress with 37.5 per cent vote share.

The BJP is also projected to secure 16 per cent of votes, an increase of 9.3 per cent, from the last elections if it is any consolation.