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India Today forecast — bang on, as always!
NEW DELHI – Elections can be unpredictable for political parties. Their results aren't for the India Today Group.
As every other media outlet faltered in its forecast of Haryana and Maharashtra elections, the India Today-Axis-My-India exit poll delivered the most accurate picture of around 11 crore voters in the two states.
HARYANA
Almost all other pollsters and TV stations were unanimous in predicting a sweep by the BJP in Haryana, led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
But it was the India Today-Axis-My-India exit poll that hit the bull's-eye, forecasting anywhere between 32 and 44 for the ruling party. Based on face-to-face interviews with voters across 90 constituencies, with a sample size of 23,118, the India Today-Axis-My-India Today survey foresaw the Congress ranks swelling in the range of 30-42 seats, up from 15 five years ago.
It gave the Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), a breakaway faction of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), between and six and ten seats.
By Thursday evening, at time of writing, actual results were much the same as India Today's predictions — the BJP led successfully in 40, the Congress in 30 and the JJP in 10 constituencies.
Other pollsters, however, weren't really able to capture the voter pulse in Haryana accurately. In its exit poll, Republic-Jan Ki Baat had given the BJP 52-63 and the Congress between 15 and 19 seats. According to News18-IPSOS, the ruling party was poised to secure 75 and the Congress 10. ABP-CVoter charts indicated 72 for the BJP and eight for the Congress. Times Now predicted 71 for Khattar's party and 11 for the Congress led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Leader of Opposition,
MAHARASHTRA
In Maharashtra, the actual outcome came closest to the India Today-Axis-My-India's predictions for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance unlike several other pollsters forecasting a landslide for the ruling coalition.
According to the India Today-Axis-My-India survey, the BJP-Sena alliance was projected to secure between 166 and 194 seats and the NCP-Congress combine from 72 to 90.
By Thursday evening, election results at time of writing showed the ruling coalition leading successfully in 159 of the state's 288 constituencies and the NCP-Congress combine in 105.
Contrast this with exit polls executed by other players.
Times Now had predicted 230 seats for the BJP-Shiv Sena and 48 for the NCP-Congress together. Republic-Jan Ki Baat had forecast 216-230 for the governing alliance and 52-59 for the opposition. The News18-IPSOS gave as high as 243 to the BJP-Shiv Sena and as less as 41 seats to the NCP-Congress alliance in Maharashtra.
According to ABP-CVoter, the BJP-Sena were projected to win 204 and the opposition combine 69.
"I think getting the exit poll right again, especially against popular belief, separates news channels from propaganda channels," said Kalli Purie, Vice Chairperson, India Today Group. "It's our approach on ground reporting and non-alignment that we were able to read data with a level of understanding. And doing it in Haryana elections, where the margin on so many seats was so slim, is a validation of the scientific and thorough approach of Axis," the Vice Chairperson said.
INCREDIBLE TRACK RECORD
Of all the elections that took place in India between 2013 and 2019, India Today-Axis My India post-poll surveys have given the most accurate predictions in 95 per cent of the cases.
Since 2013, Axis My India has conducted 38 post-poll surveys, of which 36 have been spot on.
Conducting the largest exit poll for the world's largest democracy the 2019 general elections, the India Today-Axis My India exit poll, for instance, predicted 339-365 seats for the BJP-led NDA and 77-108 seats for the UPA in the new Lok Sabha. The actual results weren't different — the NDA got 352 and the UPA 92 seats in the lower house of parliament.
Axis-My-India chief Pradeep Gupta attributed his successful predictions to team work and scientific monitoring of voter behaviour. "We follow international best practices. Our methodology is highly refined that helps us eliminate margins of error," he explained. "Our sampling is the most demographically representative in any given election. We closely, and continuously, monitor voter mood and intent."
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Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
