No, India Today survey has not predicted 22 seats for SP-Congress in Uttar Pradesh

What is the claim?

A supposed screenshot of an India Today bulletin showing results of the ‘Mood of the nation’ survey predicting 17 seats for the Samajwadi Party (SP) and five seats for the Indian National Congress (INC) in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing general elections has been shared on X (formerly Twitter). 

Sharing the screenshot, a user on X (archive here) wrote, “इंडिया टुडे ने उत्तर प्रदेश के अपने सर्वे में ~ सपा को 17 सीट दी है ~ कांग्रेस को 5 सीट दी है बस देखते जाओ ये तो बस शुरुआत है, सपा 30 से अधिक सीटें अकेले जीतेगी” (Translation: In its survey India Today has predicted 17 seats for SP and five seats for the Congress. Just wait and see this is the start, SP will get more than 30 seats). 

Anand Prakash, a member of the OBC commission of Delhi government, also shared this post. Archive of the posts can be accessed here. 

Posts claiming India Today has predicted 22 seats for SP and Congress in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (Source:X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, we found that this is an edited screenshot. The actual bulletin shows the survey predicted seven, of the 80 seats, for SP and one for the Congress. The two parties are in an alliance for the polls.  

What is the truth?
We found the original video (archive here) on India Today’s YouTube channel titled “Rajdeep Sardesai & Rahul Kanwal LIVE | Mood Of The Nation LIVE | India Today's National Survey LIVE” live streamed on February 8, 2024. 

Nearly three hours and 19 minutes into the video, the same screen is visible but the seat share projection is different from the one seen in the viral screenshot. 

One can see that the projected seat share is as follows: 

• BJP: 70 

• Apna Dal: 2

• Congress: 1

• SP: 7

• BSP: 0

• Others: 0

Comparison of the real bulletin and viral bulletin. (Source:India Today/YouTube)

A report by India Today published on the same date also shows that the survey predicts eight seats for SP and Congress combined. The survey was conducted by C-Voter between December 15, 2023 and January 28, 2024.

The verdict

Clearly, an edited screenshot is being shared to claim that a survey has predicted 22 seats for the SP and Congress combined.