As the seven phases of voting in India’s Lok Sabha elections conclude, exit polls suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alliance is on track to secure another term in office. The polls, conducted by various media outlets, indicate that despite controversies, the popularity of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains strong.

According to the exit polls, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Modi's BJP is expected to win between 360 to 400 seats out of the 543 available. This projection suggests that Modi's government could even surpass its previous majority, solidifying a third term in power. However, the opposition, led by the Indian National Congress, has dismissed these projections, questioning their scientific accuracy and reliability.

Union Minister and BJP leader Kailash Chowdhury expressed confidence in the poll predictions, stating, "We have always been saying that we will get 400 seats. Even the people raised their voices in this slogan."

In contrast, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticized the exit polls, arguing, "We have traveled all over India as part of the election campaign. We have a good understanding of the reality as we talk to people on the ground. These surveys are completely unscientific, based on assumptions."

The polls also suggest a significant shift in West Bengal, where the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, is expected to lose ground to the BJP. The predictions indicate that the BJP could win more than 21 seats in the state, while the TMC might secure around 19 seats.

Despite the confidence shown by the BJP, the Congress remains hopeful for a favorable outcome when the final results are announced. The opposition has pointed out that exit polls have been wrong in the past, notably in 2014 when the BJP's landslide victory was not fully anticipated.

The 44-day election, the longest in Indian history, has now ended, and the final vote count is awaited with intense anticipation. As the nation awaits the official results, speculations and analyses continue about whether Modi's "magic" will prevail or if the Congress will make a significant comeback.