Post exit polls, Oppn parties stick to wait-and-watch approach

A day after several exit polls predicted that the BJP-led NDA will achieve clear majority in the country, the ruling coalition has called for a meeting on May 21, while Opposition leaders continued to debunk the exit poll figures with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu meeting several regional parties’ leaders for the forging of an united anti-BJP front.

Speaking to reporters on May 20, Naidu said the Election Commission must ‘establish transparency and accountability and that there was also a ‘possibility of EVM manipulation.’

On meeting his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, he said, “Tomorrow, we are going to meet the Election Commission again. Today, I am meeting Mamata Banerjee to request her to come to Delhi to meet the EC.”

However, Naidu’s efforts will not be fruitful, asserted BJP leader and candidate Giriraj Singh. “The entire opposition, including the Mamta Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu, has reached ‘the ICU.’ Now after 23rd, all these people should have political repentance among the public so that they can attain political salvation,” he tweeted.

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao debunked the exit poll figures. “I don’t believe the figures shown in case of Karnataka. Last time, we had won nine seats and this time we will win more seats,” he said. DMK president MK Stalin too echoed the same. “We are waiting for people’s results,” he said.

On Monday (May 20), Senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal led a party delegation to the Election Commission. After meeting the officials, he said, “We have informed the EC about the violence and attack on our candidates and workers in various constituencies in the seventh phase. We have urged them to announce re-polls in these constituencies.”

Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav termed the exit poll figures fake while asserting that the Opposition alliance will form the government at the Centre. “The exit polls are saying NDA will get 40 seats in Bihar. Can there be a bigger lie? They’ll lose and the Opposition will form government. The exit polls are all fake. These surveys are influenced by ones in Europe,” he said.

Former BJP ally PDP’s leader Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “BJP winning or losing isn’t the end of the world. True that institutions were subverted & press standards plummeted.Yet many in the system and journalists with integrity stood up & raised their voices. Hope these results don’t deter their resolve to fight for what’s right.”

The focus is now on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha and whether they are going to be the kingmaker. BJD leader Amar Patnaik didn’t reveal which coalition the party will support but said, “We are going to support that party whoever agrees to settle some of the unsettled and long-pending issues of Odisha.”

Also read: No guarantee of Oppn alliance staying intact by May 23: Sena