Poll strategist Prashant Kishor has predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to get around 300 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, saying that there is no widespread anger against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prashant Kishor, in an interview with India Today, said that it was impossible for the BJP to get 370 seats.
"From the day PM Modi claimed that the BJP would secure 370 seats and the NDA would surpass the 400 mark, I said this was not possible. This is all sloganeering to boost workers' morale. It is impossible for the BJP to get 370 seats, but it is also certain that the party will not fall below the 270 mark. I believe the BJP will manage to secure the same number of seats as it did in the previous Lok Sabha elections, which is 303 seats, or perhaps a little more," Prashant Kishor was quoted as saying.
Prashant Kishor said that the ruling party is facing no major dent in North and West regions, however, its seats will see a surge in South and East.
"First, look at where the BJP secured its 303 seats in the 2019 elections. Out of those 303 seats, 250 came from the North and West regions. The key question is whether they are facing significant losses [50 or more seats] in these regions this time," Prashant Kishor said.
In the East and South, he said, the BJP currently holds around 50 seats in the Lok Sabha, adding that in these regions, party's vote share is believed to be significantly increasing.
"So, cumulatively, the BJP's seat share in the East and South is expected to increase by 15–20 seats, while there is no significant loss in the North and West," Prashant Kishor said.
The political analyst also pointed out that there was no widespread anger against PM Modi in the country, barring a section of society that feels disappointed with his performance.
"Leaving aside the numbers game, let's consider when a government loses. It happens when there is significant anger among the people against a party or its leader. Whether it's the BJP or PM Modi's 10 years of governance, there is certainly a large section of society that feels disappointed," Prashant Kishor said.
"However, we haven't heard from commentators on either side [government or opposition] that there is widespread anger against the Prime Minister. Therefore, the sentiment that Narendra Modi must be removed, regardless of who comes next, is not present," Prashant Kishor added.
