Following the release of exit polls predicting a significant victory for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi dismissed the results, labeling them as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “fantasy poll.” When questioned about the expected number of seats the INDIA Opposition bloc would secure, Gandhi confidently predicted that the bloc would win 295 out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, referencing a popular song by the late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.
The exit polls have projected a remarkable win for the BJP, with some suggesting that the BJP-led NDA could surpass the 400-seat mark, aligning with the BJP’s slogan “ab ki baar 400 par.” However, it is important to note that exit polls do not always accurately predict election outcomes.
After a meeting with INDIA bloc leaders, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated that the bloc would secure more than 295 seats, based on a “people’s survey.” Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief and INDIA bloc leader Akhilesh Yadav expressed skepticism about the exit poll predictions. Yadav suggested that the media’s projection of the BJP crossing 300 seats was orchestrated to facilitate potential electoral manipulation. He also claimed that these predictions were prepared months in advance to benefit BJP supporters in the stock market.
Yadav urged INDIA bloc workers to remain vigilant regarding the handling of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) as counting day approached. He emphasized the importance of staying alert during the counting process and celebrating only after receiving the winner’s certificate.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, speaking to NDTV, expressed confidence that the BJP would secure 350 seats and that the NDA would finish close to or exceed the 400-seat mark. Puri dismissed Kharge’s prediction of 295 seats for the INDIA bloc as mere speculation from a “drawing room conversation.” He highlighted the consistency between exit poll predictions and the Prime Minister’s effective governance, asserting that good governance and sound economics were the keys to political success.
Responding to Yadav’s claims, Puri suggested that the Samajwadi Party chief needed a “reality check” and pointed out that stock markets typically respond to actual election results rather than exit polls. With the counting of votes just around the corner, the political landscape remains tense as parties brace for the final outcome.
