NEW YORK (TIP): The recent polls for Legislative Assemblies in Gujarat and Himachal have mauled BJP and shown the party’s declining power. While the party managed to retain power in Gujarat, it has been routed in Himachal where it gained only 26 against the Congress that captured 36 seats in a house of 68. In 2007 elections BJP had won 41 out of 68 seats and formed the government, with Prem Kumar Dhumal as the Chief Minister. The much touted Modi magic failed to work in Gujarat where the party returned to power with 2 seats short of 2007 tally of 117. Modi enthusiasts had been speaking about a landslide for BJP (Modi) in Gujarat. They referred to ABP News-Nielsen Exit Poll that predicted landslide victory for Modi.

Narendra Modi-led BJP in Gujarat is yet again set to trample the Congress party in the upcoming Assembly polls. ABP News-Nielsen Exit Poll has found that BJP will bag a landslide majority of 126 seats in the 182- member Assembly, a gain of nine seats since 2007. That did not happen. Instead Modi folded with just 115 seats. The ABP News-Nielsen Exit Poll predicted loss of seats for Congress. “The Congress which won 59 seats in the 2007 polls, is seen to win only 50 seats this time around, a loss of only nine seats compared to the last state elections However, the poll proved wrong here too. Congress won from 61 constituencies, adding 2 seats to its 2007 tally of 59 seats. Although BJP registered a victory, five of its ministers fell by the wayside.

Those who lost included Agriculture Minister Dileep Sanghani (Amreli), Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas (Siddhpur), Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Fakirbhai Vaghela (Vadgam), Minister of State for Forest and Environment Kiritsinh Rana (Limbdi) and Minister of State for Agriculture Kanubhai Bhalala (Visavadar). In Himachal, Prem… Kumar Dhumal barely retained his seat, with a margin of just 9500 votes.