NEW DELHI: Following the release of exit poll results for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which forecast a historic third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the NDA projected to secure 350-400 seats, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi dismissed the predictions, labeling them as “Modi media polls” and “fantasy polls.” In response, the BJP mocked Gandhi, accusing him of “daydreaming.”
“These are not exit polls; they are Modi media polls. It’s a fantasy,” Gandhi stated during a press interaction after a video conference with the party’s Lok Sabha MPs. When asked about the expected seat count for the INDIA alliance, Gandhi referenced Sidhu Moose Wala’s song “295,” implying they would win 295 seats.
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad retorted, “Daydreaming is free in India. The exit polls are a true reflection of the election. We will exceed 400 seats nationally and secure 40 in Bihar.”
Opposition Dismisses Exit Poll Projections
Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc have unanimously rejected the exit poll results that predict a landslide victory for the BJP-led NDA government. The polls, released the previous evening, anticipate a historic third term for Modi. Opposition leaders remain steadfast, asserting that the INDIA alliance will achieve 295 seats.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal condemned the exit poll results as fraudulent. “Why would the BJP conduct fake polls just days before the election results?” he questioned.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav criticized the reliability of the exit polls, claiming they were fabricated months in advance to mislead the public. He argued that the “pro-BJP media” was orchestrating a narrative to show the ruling party surpassing 300 seats.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused PM Modi of manipulating the exit polls, insisting there would be a stark contrast between the exit poll predictions and the actual results on June 4. Ramesh highlighted that the INDIA alliance’s detailed analysis made it impossible for them to win fewer than 295 seats.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed confidence that the Congress would secure at least 10 out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state, with the INDIA bloc forming the next central government. He referenced a BJP post on ‘X’, claiming they would win four to five seats in Telangana.
What the Exit Polls Foresee
The exit polls, published on Saturday, collectively predict a third term for PM Modi, with the NDA anticipated to match or exceed its 2019 performance, potentially crossing the 350-seat threshold. Some projections even suggest that the BJP’s aim of surpassing 400 seats could be realized.
The polls indicate significant gains for the BJP in eastern and southern states, particularly in West Bengal and Odisha. In Bengal, the BJP is expected to capture between 19 and 31 of the 42 seats, while in Odisha, estimates range from 9 to 20 out of 21 seats, with the BJD possibly winning up to 10 seats.
According to the exit polls, the INDIA alliance is predicted to win a maximum of 182 seats, with one poll suggesting the alliance might fall below the 100-seat mark. Although exit polls are generally seen as more accurate than pre-election opinion polls, their accuracy in India has varied, with both successes and failures recorded. Vote counting is scheduled for June 4.
