Kiran Kondeti, popularly known as KK, a psephologist and poll strategist from Andhra Pradesh, has once again demonstrated his expertise in election predictions.
KK, who gained fame for his near-accurate forecasts in the 2019 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections, has now proven his mettle in the Maharashtra state elections.
Two days before the election results, KK, the CEO of KK Surveys and Strategies, projected that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance would win around 220 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, leaving the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi far behind.
While other survey agencies also predicted a BJP-led victory, their projections capped the alliance's win at around 185 seats, with some even suggesting a close contest.
KK’s prediction of 220 seats seemed overly optimistic to many. However, the latest trends in the Maharashtra election results showed the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance leading in 221 assembly seats, almost exactly aligning with KK’s forecast.
Even with minor adjustments, the final tally is expected to closely match his projection, solidifying KK’s reputation for accuracy.
KK first gained recognition in 2019 when he accurately predicted that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, would win 151 seats in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh assembly.
At the time, KK was a newcomer to election surveys, and his bold prediction was largely ignored. However, when the results matched his forecast precisely, KK’s credibility and popularity skyrocketed.
In the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections, KK once again stood out by predicting a landslide victory for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), forecasting 160 seats, with TDP winning 133 seats and Jana Sena securing all 21 seats it contested.
He also predicted the YSRCP would be reduced to just 14 seats, a stark contrast to other survey agencies.
When the results were announced, KK was nearly spot-on, as the NDA secured a decisive victory, and the YSRCP managed only 11 seats.
KK ventured into national-level predictions during the Haryana assembly elections, where he forecasted a significant loss for the BJP, calling it a "sinking Titanic."
However, this prediction turned out to be his first major miss, as the BJP comfortably retained power in Haryana.
Despite occasional missteps, KK’s consistent accuracy in predicting state-level elections has made him a prominent name in the world of psephology.
With his success in Maharashtra, KK has further cemented his position as one of the most reliable political forecasters in India.
