But amid rising anger over unemployment and a fall in rural incomes, the BJP lost key state elections in December, making this contest more closely fought than first expected. But in the last three elections, polls have been significantly wide of the mark. Elections in India have become "increasingly multi-varied," Rai said, with the emergence of regional parties complicating pollsters' efforts. When CNX, one of India's largest polling companies, conducts fieldwork in rural Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand – two states with large tribal populations – it often finds many are unfamiliar with the concept of opinion polls. "Dubious opinion polls conducted by some media houses to sway the elections for political parties has definitely created a bad name for the polling industry in India," Rai said.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 12, 2019 10:41 UTC