New Delhi: The exit polls show a close contest between the Congress and the BJP in the three Hindi-belt states – Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and MP – with various agencies giving a slight edge to one over another.Illustration: Pariplab ChakrabortySoon after polling ended on November 30, the exit polls for five states – Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram – which voted this month to elect new assemblies were released. Among these states, the first two had Congress governments and the third BJP. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is in power in Telangana while the regional Mizo National Front (MNF) is at the helm in the northeastern state.In Rajasthan, the Axis India Today survey – which has the best record of getting its exit polls right – threw up a surprise when it predicted that Congress under the leadership of Ashok Gehlot may lead the BJP by a slight margin. Previous opinion polls believed that the state would follow its historic precedent of voting out the incumbent government and predicted a comfortable victory for the BJP. Most other exit polls, however, gave the edge to the BJP.At the same time, the exit polls in Chhattisgarh also showed a neck-and-neck fight between the Congress and BJP, again contradicting previous opinion polls that showed a comfortable victory for the incumbent Congress. The Axis India Today poll gave a slight edge to the Congress.In Madhya Pradesh too, the two parties are engaged in a close battle, the polls show. However, the Axis India Today poll predicted a landslide victory for the BJP in the state.In Telangana, the grand old party may shock the BRS and chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), some polls showed while others predicted a close contest. The BJP could play spoilsport if it splits the anti-incumbency role, while Asaduddin Owaisi’s MIM will throw its numbers behind the BRS.In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) led by chief minister Zoramthanga is in a close battle with fellow regional player Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNF). The Congress may have a say in the outcome if a hung assembly is elected while the BJP may fail to make any impact.Rajasthan (Majority mark: 100)BJPCongressOthersIndia Today-Axis My India80-10086-1068-16ABP News-C Voter94-11471-919-19Jan Ki Baat100-12262-8514-15India TV- CNX80-9094-10414-18Times Now-ETG108-12856-7213-21News 24 – Today’s Chanakya77-10189-1132-16Madhya Pradesh (Majority mark: 115)BJPCongressOthersIndia Today – Axis My India140-16268-900-3ABP News – C Voter88-112113-1372-8Jan Ki Baat100-123102-1255News 24 – Today’s Chanakya151745Times Now – ETG105-117109-1251-5India TV – CNX140-15970-890-2Chhattisgarh (Majority mark: 45)BJPCongressOthersABP News – C Voter36-4841-531-5India Today-Axis My India36-4640-501-5Jan Ki Baat34-4544-520-2India TV-CNX30-4046-563-5News 24-Today’s Chanakya33570Times Now – ETG32-4048-562-4Telangana (Majority mark: 60)BJPCongressBRSOthersNews 24 – Today’s Chanakya771330ABP News – C Voter5-1349-6538-545-9India TV-CNX2-463-7931-475-7Jan Ki Baat7-1348-6440-554-7Mizoram (Majority mark: 20)MNFZPMCongressBJPJan Ki Baat10-1415-255-90-2ABP News-C Voter15-2112-182-80India TV-CNX14-1812-168-100-2India Today- Axis My India3-728-352-40-2