In West Bengal, pollsters predict considerable loss to Mamata; NDA to make significant inroads

Going by the exit polls, Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress will retain her hold in West Bengal but at the cost of loss of seat share. The BJP, on the other hand, is predicted to make significant inroads into the state bagging seats in double-digits. 

While 'Poll of polls' predicted 15 seats for the NDA and 25 for the TMC, Times Now-VMR showed 11 seats going to the NDA and 28 to the TMC. 

ABP Neilsen survey said that the TMC will keep 24 Lok Sabha seats in the state while 16 will go to the BJP. Of the total 42 seats in West Bengal, the NDA is likely to win 11 and TMC would settle with 29 seats, Republic C-Voter predicted.

The predictions pronounce a significant shift in voting trend in West Bengal as the TMC is shown to bear a loss of as many as 10 seats this Lok Sabha polls while the NDA is likely to benefit on around 14 seats. 
 
It must be remembered that during the last Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee's TMC registered a massive victory on over 34 seats. The Congress kept 4 seats while the CPI(M) and the BJP settled with two seats each.   

This year's Lok Sabha polls witnessed a dramatic political play in West Bengal with many incidents of violence and unrest reported in almost phases of the seven-phased general elections. West Bengal also topped the turnout tally in almost all phases of the general elections. TMC and BJP workers sparred at many incidents and time and again the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged Centre's interference in the state. 

The Modi-wave however, seemed to have a significant drive in the state. The exit polls predict that BJP's strengthened image and Modi's increased popularity may affect the electoral outcome in the state. 

While the exit polls predict the electoral battle in West Bengal to result in a dramatic swing of seats from TMC's kitty to BJP's bag, final results are awaited and will be announced on May 23. 

Watch: Exit Polls show BJP emerges as second largest party in West Bengal

Meanwhile, Banerjee has dubbed exit polls as "gossip" and has said that she doesn't trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs.

"I don't trust Exit Poll gossip. The game plan is to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs through this gossip. I appeal to all Opposition parties to be united, strong and bold. We will fight this battle together," Banerjee said in a tweet.