New Delhi. Congress on Sunday called the exit polls (post-poll surveys) ‘fake’ and said that it is a “deliberate effort” to justify rigging in the elections and a part of the “psychological game” being played by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lower the morale of the workers of the ‘India’ alliance. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi called the exit polls “Modi Media Poll”.
He told reporters at the Congress headquarters here after a meeting with the party’s Lok Sabha members through video conference, “It is not called an exit poll, but it is called ‘Modi Media Poll’. This is Modi ji’s poll, it is his imaginary poll.” When asked how many seats the ‘India’ alliance will get, Gandhi said, “Have you heard Sidhu Moosewala’s ‘295’ song? Hence 295 seats.” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh also targeted the Prime Minister for holding several meetings, including a long brainstorming session to review the 100-day agenda of the “new government”. He said that this is a “way of creating pressure” to send a signal to the bureaucracy and administrative machinery that he is returning to power.
“I am coming back, I am going to be the Prime Minister again… This is all a mind game… He is sending a signal to the bureaucracy, the administrative machinery of the country and we hope that the civil servants who are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring fair counting of votes will not be intimidated by these pressure tactics,” Ramesh told PTI at the Congress headquarters here. Later, he said in a post on X, “The outgoing Prime Minister will play mind games till the end. Today, his media managers have reported that he has held seven meetings.
I am sure they will report more meetings tomorrow – but by the evening of June 4, the outgoing Prime Minister will become ‘former Prime Minister’.” Speaking to PTI-Bhasha, Ramesh also said that the exit polls released on Saturday evening were “completely fake” and “fabricated by the person who is sure to be out of power on June 4.” The Congress leader claimed, “All these are part of the psychological game being played by the outgoing Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and the outgoing Home Minister (Amit Shah). The outgoing Home Minister called 150 District Magistrates and Collectors yesterday. The exit poll results have no connection with reality.” Various exit polls on Saturday predicted that Prime Minister Modi will return to power for the third consecutive time and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) may win the Lok Sabha elections with a huge majority. Criticizing the exit polls, Ramesh said that in some states, the NDA has been given more seats than the number of seats available in that state.
Ramesh said, “India Janabandhan parties met yesterday, we did a state-wise analysis and India Janabandhan will not get less than 295 seats at any cost.” He said, “This is a deliberate attempt to justify rigging, it is a deliberate attempt to justify EVM tampering and it is also a psychological way to demoralize Congress workers and India Janabandhan workers. We are not going to be afraid and you will see that on June 4, there will be a huge difference in the real results as compared to these exit polls.” The Congress General Secretary said that these are political exit polls, not professionally conducted exit polls.
Ramesh said that Congress treasurer and senior leader Ajay Maken has raised the issue of not allowing the counting agents of the candidates to sit near the Assistant Election Officer (ARO). The Congress general secretary said, “He (Maken) has raised this issue, some response has been received from the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, but the truth of the matter is that he (Maken) has raised this issue on the basis of legitimate apprehensions raised by the candidates. We have raised the issue of counting of postal ballots and attempts to change the functioning of the Election Commission.” He said that the Congress has raised all such issues before the Election Commission and in the last 77 days, it has lodged 117 complaints, out of which 14 are against the Prime Minister.
He said, “There has been no credible action from the Election Commission. It is a constitutional body and we expect it to work in an impartial, professional manner.” The Congress general secretary said, “We have sought time to meet the Election Commission on the postal ballot issue. We hope that we will get time from the Election Commission which should be available to all political parties and should not work as an extended wing of the ruling party.” Ramesh reiterated that the exit polls were “deliberately prepared by the person who is set to be out on June 4”.
On the meetings held by the Prime Minister on Sunday, Ramesh said, “It is all a mind game, the truth is that the outgoing Home Minister is talking to 150 District Magistrates and District Magistrates, the truth is that the outgoing Prime Minister is talking to secretaries on his so-called plan. He needs a 100-day plan on what he will do after June 4.” Counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections will take place on June 4.
Kharge, Rahul hold meeting with party’s Lok Sabha candidates, ask them to remain alert on counting day
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi held a video conference meeting with party candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, legislative party leaders and heads of state units of the party on Sunday and asked them to remain vigilant on the counting day and take necessary steps to prevent any attempt of rigging. Senior Congress leaders including Kharge, Gandhi, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal interacted with the party’s Lok Sabha candidates and reviewed preparations for the counting of votes on June 4.