Exit polls draw scepticism from Congress, Oppn leaders

Congress and other Opposition leaders expressed confidence about their electoral prospects while questioning the reliability of exit polls. They said the actual outcome would only become clear on May 4 and raised concerns over delimitation, voter lists and electoral fairness

New Delhi: Leaders from the Congress and other Opposition parties on Thursday expressed confidence in their electoral prospects, while simultaneously questioning the credibility of exit polls, asserting that the final outcome would only be clear when votes are counted on May 4.

Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Jai Parkash, said that exit poll trends indicate a strong showing for the party in southern states. He claimed that Congress-led formations are poised to form governments in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, while asserting that the BJP has little presence in these regions.

---

“If you look at the exit polls, our government is being formed in Kerala. In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, our government is being formed. BJP is nowhere,” he said. Parkash also raised concerns over the implementation of delimitation, particularly in Assam, alleging that constituency boundaries were altered in a way that impacted electoral fairness.

He argued that disparities in constituency sizes point to what he termed as “manipulation” claiming that some constituencies represented vastly different population sizes. He further suggested that such measures were among the reasons why the Opposition, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had raised objections to the delimitation exercise.

Echoing confidence, Congress leader Rajesh Thakur said that the BJP’s public stance rarely reflects electoral setbacks. He noted that while BJP leaders are focussing on politically competitive states like West Bengal, they are not addressing regions where their position is weaker.

“There is no election where the BJP says it is losing. They are not talking about Kerala or other states where they are not in a strong position,” Thakur said, adding that the electorate has already made its choice and clarity will emerge on counting day.

Congress MP K. Suresh also reiterated that the United Democratic Front (UDF) is set to secure a comfortable majority in Kerala. He downplayed the BJP’s chances in the state, stating that the party is unlikely to win more than a few seats.

From the broader Opposition spectrum, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha urged caution in interpreting exit poll findings, describing them as speculative. “Exit polls are not very reliable. It’s similar to how people create their own teams in fantasy sports and make projections,” he said.

Jha emphasised that political discourse should rely on actual results rather than projections and advised waiting for May 4 before drawing conclusions. He also raised concerns about electoral processes, including issues related to voter lists and representation.

Referring to discussions around re-polling in certain areas due to alleged EVM-related issues, he said that data often does not fully reflect ground realities. He further pointed out that a significant number of people continue to face uncertainty regarding their inclusion in electoral rolls and tribunal processes.

As the political narrative intensifies, Congress and other Opposition parties remain cautiously optimistic, maintaining that while exit polls may offer a glimpse, the final verdict rests with the electorate and will only be confirmed once the official results are declared.