Citing exit poll figures, a beaming Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday exuded confidence that the BJP will retain power in the state, where polling for the 230-seat assembly was held on November 17.

“I have always maintained that the fight is not even close in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP will win a huge mandate; The love and guidance of (prime minister Narendra) Modi, the strategies of (home minister) Amit Shah, the leadership of (BJP chief) JP Nadda, the efforts of our workers, and the schemes of our government made it clear that the BJP is getting a majority in the state,” Chouhan told news agency ANI.

On Thursday, survey agencies and their partner news channels revealed results of their respective exit polls. While pollsters were largely divided, with some even predicting a win for the Congress, three exit polls – News 24-Today’s Chanakya, India Today-Axis My India, and India TV-CNX – projected over 150 seats for the BJP in the state assembly. Republic TV-MATRIZE exit poll, on the other hand, gave 124 seats to the ruling party.

It must be noted, however, that exit polls have often called elections wrong, and, therefore, must be taken with a pinch of salt.

The results of the recently-held election will be declared on December 3, when the counting of votes takes place.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief and former chief minister Kamal Nath, meanwhile, assured party workers that the public voted ‘overwhelmingly’ for the grand old party.

Congress workers should not get ‘distracted’ by exit polls, Nath said.