Wednesday , Sept. 25, 2024, 9:58 p.m.
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Nation / Sun, 02 Jun 2024 Hindustan Times

Rahul Gandhi calls exit polls ‘Modi’s fantasy poll’, says INDIA will win 295 seats

He called the 2024 exit polls “Modi media poll” and “Modiji’s fantasy poll”. “It is not exit poll, it is Modi media poll. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that according to the people’s exit poll, the INDIA bloc would get at least 295 seats. Other exit polls, such as Times Now-ETG Research, project 358 seats for the NDA and 152 seats for the INDIA bloc. “The man whose exit is certain on June 4th has had these exit polls orchestrated.

Even as all exit polls have given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha election, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed the INDIA group would get 295 seats. He called the 2024 exit polls “Modi media poll” and “Modiji’s fantasy poll”. Rahul Gandhi speaks to journalists at the sideline of an internal meeting of the Congress held in Delhi on Sunday. (ANI)

A day after the exit polls, Gandhi spoke to journalists at the sideline of an internal meeting of the Congress that was called to prepare for the counting day. “It is not exit poll, it is Modi media poll. It is Modi ji’s poll. It is his fantasy poll.” Asked about the number of seats for the INDIA alliance, Rahul Gandhi returned to the media and said, “Have you heard Sidhu Moose Wala’s song 295? 295.”

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At the meeting of the INDIA allies on Saturday hours before the exit polls, the leaders arrived at a calculation that the Opposition group would get at least 295 seats. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that according to the people’s exit poll, the INDIA bloc would get at least 295 seats.

Various pollsters predict a wide range of seats for the ruling NDA, with estimates ranging from 353 to 383 seats for the BJP-led alliance and 152 to 182 seats for the opposition INDIA bloc. Some polls even project over 400 seats for the NDA. If these predictions hold true, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would match Jawaharlal Nehru’s record of leading his party to victory for a third consecutive term. Exit poll results also suggest a significant breakthrough for the BJP in southern states, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.

According to the ABP-C Voter poll, the BJP-led alliance is expected to win between 353 and 383 seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc may secure between 152 and 182 seats. Today’s Chanakya predicts even higher numbers for the BJP and its allies compared to the 2019 elections, forecasting 335 seats for the BJP and 400 for the NDA, with a margin of 15 seats. The opposition alliance is predicted to secure 107 seats, with a possible variation of 11 seats.

Other exit polls, such as Times Now-ETG Research, project 358 seats for the NDA and 152 seats for the INDIA bloc. Many pollsters suggest that the NDA may exceed its 2019 tally of 353 seats.

If Modi retains power in this election, he would be the first PM after Jawaharlal Nehru to win three consecutive Lok Sabha polls. It would also be three consecutive Lok Sabha poll defeats for the second time for the Congress, which failed to form government in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

On Saturday, Congress general secretary for communications Jairam Ramesh claimed that the exit polls were psychological games. “The man whose exit is certain on June 4th has had these exit polls orchestrated. The INDIA Janbandhan will definitely get a minimum of 295 seats, which is a clear and decisive majority. The outgoing Prime Minister can remain smug for three days in the meanwhile. These are all psychological games he is masterminding but the ACTUAL results will be very different,” he said.

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