New Delhi:
The Congress’s decision to skip exit poll debates has provided fresh ammunition to the BJP ahead of the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha election, in which the party is hoping for a historic third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the announcement by senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, both BJP chief JP Nadda and the party’s chief strategist and Union Minister Amit Shah said it was obvious that the Opposition has conceded defeat.
In a Hindi post on X, formerly Twitter, Union Minister Amit Shah said, “Congress has come to know about its huge defeat, so with what face will it face the media and the public now? Therefore, Congress is running away from the exit polls. I want to tell the Congress party not to run away, face the defeat and introspect”.
कांग्रेस को अपनी प्रचंड हार का पता चल गया है, तो अब किस मुँह से मीडिया और जनता को फेस करे? इसलिए, कांग्रेस एग्जिट पोल से भाग रही है।
मैं कांग्रेस पार्टी से कहना चाहता हूँ कि भागो नहीं, हार का सामना करके आत्मचिंतन करो। pic.twitter.com/pxeT3Qw8wA
— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) May 31, 2024
Objecting to Congress decision, Mr Nadda, in a post on X, said: “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”.
The Congress, he said, “opts out” when it doesn’t expect the results to go in its favour. But the party, he added, shows 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 votes on them,” he said
He also said that by boycotting the Exit Poll exercise, Congress was questioning the rigorous exercise carried out by several professional agencies that work day and night to compile the figures.
Earlier today, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said once the voting is over, nothing can be gained through speculation.
“The results will be out on 4th June. Prior to that, we do not see any reason to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP,” he said in a statement shared on X.
“The Indian National Congress will not participate in the debates on Exit Polls. The purpose of any debate should be to inform the people. We will happily partake in debates from 4th June onwards,” Mr Khera added.
Voting will be held tomorrow to pick representatives for 57 seats across seven states and one Union Territory, which would conclude the massive seven-phase exercise to form the 19th Lok Sabha. The counting of votes will take place on Tuesday.