| Comparitive chart showing party performance in the previous assembly elections. |
| Party | 1974 | 1980 | 1984 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | Exit Polls* |
| | | | | | | |
| MSCP | - | - | - | - | - | 23 | 12 |
| INC | 13 | * | 30 | 26 | 22 | 11 | 32 |
| BJP | | | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| FPM | | | | | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| NCP | | | | | | 5 | |
| MPP | 20 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 4 | |
| JDS | | | | | | 1 | |
| RJD | | | | | | 1 | |
| SMP | | | | | 2 | 1 | |
| JDU | | | | | | 1 | |
| KNA | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| IND | 3 | 19 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| OTH | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| NP | | | | 1 | 2 | | |
| ICSS | | | 0 | 6 | 1 | | |
| JP | | 10 | 4 | | 0 | | |
| INCI* | | 13 | | | | | |
| INCU* | | 6 | | | | | |
| MHU | 12 | | | | | | |
| SOC | 2 | | | | | | |
TOTAL SEATS | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
Electorate (Lakhs) | 7.2 | 9.1 | 10.1 | 11.1 | 12.7 | 14.2 | |
Turnout (%) | 84.6 | 82.4 | 87.3 | 89.9 | 91.4 | 89.8 | |
Total Candidates | 265 | 401 | 364 | 288 | 347 | 401 | |
|
| *Based on the Doordarshan exit poll after the final round of polling today. |