"Meaningless speculations": Congress to skip LS exit poll debates; BJP says opposition party aware of "massive defeat"

New Delhi [India], May 31 : After Congress announced its decision to boycott the debates related to exit polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the move of the opposition party saying that it has already conceded defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera stated that his party does not see any reason to indulge in "speculation and slugfest for TRP".
"The Indian National Congress will not participate in the debates on ExitPolls. The purpose of any debate should be to inform the people. We will happily partake in debates from 4th June onwards," Pawan Khera posted on X.
Pawan Khera called the exit poll exercise a "meaningless speculation".
"Why should we indulge in meaningless speculation just to increase the TRPs of channels or to there is some force? There are some forces which are involved in betting. Why should we be a part of that? Everybody knows who he or she has voted for. Parties will get to know how many votes they got on the 4th of June. Why should we speculate?.. We are poised to win this election. INDIA alliance will be forming the government after the 4 June," Khera told ANI.
As the Lok Sabha polls are set to conclude tomorrow evening, various media organisations will declare the results of exit polls conducted after 6:30 pm on Saturday. The poll body had put an embargo on the publication of exit polls from April 19, 2024 (7 am) till June 1 (6:30 pm).
Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda said that the move by the Congress is not "surprising" as the opposition party refrains from getting involved in such a process if they feel results will not go in their favour.
"Congress's decision to not participate in Exit Polls, on the eve of Phase 7 polling, is an unequivocal confirmation that the Congress has conceded the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is not surprising, since Congress usually opts out when it doesn't expect results to go in its favour, but has no compunction showing up if it thinks it has even an outside chance. Their hypocrisy is not lost on anyone. Let no one in Phase 7 waste their vote on them. But what is more disconcerting is Congress's antipathy towards the largest democratic process in the world, which saw the participation of over 960 million aspirations," JP Nadda posted on X.
Nadda said that Congress always tries to undermine institutions in the country.
"While Indians were electing their leader, who would lead them in the new world order, improve their lives, bring opportunities and prosperity, Congress was working assiduously to undermine the very institutional process, on which rests our robust democracy's foundations. Instead of focusing on winning the election, Congress repeatedly approached the Supreme Court, making outrageous demands, in order to mutilate our well-established electoral process," JP Nadd said.
BJP chief further said that Congress never complains when the poll results are going in their favour.
"Himachal and Telangana are recent examples. But whines endlessly when it expects a rout. Not just the Congress but its extended ecosystem, which is inimical India's interest, too comes together to create cacophony and makes all attempts to undermine people's faith in our institutions and process. They stop at nothing. They target the Supreme Court, Judges who do not deliver orders to their liking, attack journalists, who refuse to be their cheerleaders, tarnish the Election Commission of India and raise questions on the integrity of data and process," Nadda said.
JP Nadda added, "Now by deciding to boycott the Exit Poll exercise, they are bringing into question the exercise carried out by several professional agencies, who have worked with thousands of associates to bring what people may have voted for. Is it the Congress's argument that there is a big conspiracy, which includes millions of voters, and all of it is aimed at ridiculing the Congress for the next few days when the actual result comes out on the 4th of June? It doesn't behove India's grand old party to behave like a child, whose toy has been taken away. One expects a certain level of maturity from the largest political party in the Opposition."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also slammed Congress for boycotting exit polls and said that the opposition party always remains in a state of denial.
"During the whole election, they kept campaigning that they were going to get the majority but they knew the situation that in the coming exit polls, it would be their massive defeat so they can't face the media. Therefore, they are boycotting the entire exit poll exercise. Exit polls have been happening for a long time but this time, because of the defeat, they don't know how to explain and that's why they are boycotting. Since Rahul Gandhi has taken in charge of Congress, they are in denial mode," the Home Minister told ANI.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday appealed to the party workers, office bearers and candidates to remain vigilant and "not get misled by BJP's exit polls."
In a post on X, the SP chief said, "Just as you have been cautious throughout the elections, similarly you have to stay outside the strong room and be alert till you get the certificate on the day of counting."
Akhilesh Yadav alleged that as soon as the elections are over, the BJP's 'media mandali' will start showing false figures of the elections.
"They will tell that BJP is winning around 300 seats, which is completely false. They do this to demoralise you so that you become disappointed, but you should not fall for their words and on the day of counting, you have to protect the strong room and be vigilant so that no kind of rigging can take place," Akhilesh Yadav said in the post.
The SP chief further urged to not get "misled" by BJP's exit polls and remain "completely alert."
"I am making this special appeal so that you people do not get misled by the BJP exit polls and remain completely alert, keeping your confidence and remembering your basic mantra of victory, voting and being cautious, celebrate the victory of the Constitution, democracy and the people of the country only after taking the certificate of victory," he said.
The election campaign of Lok Sabha polls ended on Thursday with the stage set for the seventh and final phase of polls on Saturday on 57 seats across seven states and a Union Territory. A total of 904 candidates are in the fray for the voting to be held on June 1.
Lok Sabha elections 2024 are being held in seven phases, in a six-week marathon running from April 19 to June 1. The first six phases of polling were held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and May 25.Assembly polls have also been held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Odisha is seeing simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and assembly in the last four phases. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.