LABOUR was tonight hoping to hold off a Conservative advance in Wales, while also defending territory from the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru.
Labour went into the election with 29 of Wales's 40 seats. The Lib Dems had four, the Tories and Plaid three each and one was independent.
Labour remained ahead of its rivals in Welsh opinion polls during the campaign, but with a predicted share of the vote well short of the 2005 election.
Responding to the TV exit poll, Labour AM Leighton Andrews told the BBC: "I don't think at this stage we know much more than what the polls have been suggesting over the course of the last few weeks.
"I am very encouraged by what Labour candidates and others have been saying about the turnout of Labour voters.’’ Former Welsh Lib Dem leader Mike German said of the exit poll: "I can tell you that doesn't square with what I'm feeling and what I'm seeing.’’
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