The elections in India are a month away and here are some opinions on what will happen. The purpose of this blog entry is to visit this after the results are announced.
The opinion poll forecast that Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition of nearly 20 parties would win 280-290 seats of the 543 in the Lower House of Parliament. The coalition holds 303 seats now. The poll predicted Congress would win just 103 seats, an all-time low, although a stronger showing by its allies would lift the Opposition coalition to 159-169 seats from 140 now.
India Today last month forecast the coalition would win 330-340 seats. The Congress and its allies got 105-115 seats in that opinion poll.
Assuming the same rate holds ? despite the allies? depleted number and reduced strength ?, the party will only win 188 seats (if it contests 350, of a total of 545).
The Resident Idiot did not even bother to comment on how many seats Congress and its allies would win.