It's Dangal In Haryana

Survey predicts a neck-and-neck battle between BJP & Cong Chautala’s JJP could be kingmaker in tightly fought elections

- Harmeet Shah Singh in New Delhi

Unlike widely speculated, the BJP is running neck and neck in Haryana, with the opposition Congress expected to make significant gains in the October 21 vote, an India Today-Axis-MyIndia exit poll has predicted.

The saffron party's tally in the state Assembly is likely to come down from 47 in 2014 to anywhere between 32 and 44, the poll showed.

The Congress ranks, on the other hand, may swell in the range of 3042 seats, up from 15 five years ago, in what could be a stunning rise in the party's fortunes since its mauling in the Lok Sabha elections. Haryana witnessed a direct contest between Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the Congress under Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Leader of Opposition, for the 90-seat assembly.

BJP in the state appears to have suffered erosion in its support over the past five months, with its vote share projected to have dropped from 58 per cent in the May general elections to 33 per cent now.

According to the poll data, the Congress might have secured a four-per cent jump in its vote share during the period -- from 28 per cent five months ago to 32 per cent now.