New Delhi: In a surprising turn of events, the Congress party has decided not to participate in television debates on exit polls. A national newspaper reported that the grand-old party’s leaders would not take part in decoding the survey results, raising curiosity among political pundits about why the party has taken such a stance.
The exit poll results will be revealed at 6:30 PM today, allowing the predictions to be broadcast.
Though exit polls are not always accurate, they give viewers an idea of the voting pattern and mood. This year’s exit polls will cover not only the Lok Sabha elections but also Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Sikkim. Agencies such as Today’s Chanakya, IPSOS, CSDS, Axis My India, and CVoter are responsible for conducting these exit polls, which gather data from voters as they leave polling stations.
While exit polls offer a snapshot of voter sentiment, they are not infallible. Historical data reveals instances where exit polls have significantly missed the mark. However, in the general elections of 2014 and 2019, the exit polls largely captured the national mood.
In 2019, exit polls underestimated the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) strength. The average prediction gave the NDA 306 seats and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 120 seats. The actual results saw the NDA securing 352 seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alone winning 303. The UPA garnered only 93 seats, with Congress securing 52.
In 2014, the scale of the BJP-led NDA victory surprised many. The average of eight exit polls predicted 283 seats for the NDA and 105 for the UPA. The NDA won 336 seats, with the BJP claiming 282. The UPA secured 60 seats, with Congress at 44.
This election, which began as one-sided for the ruling NDA, has seen an intense fight from the opposition alliance INDIA as the phases progressed. Debates and discussions suggest that the opposition INDIA bloc performed well and controlled the narrative throughout the seven phases of the election. Some believe that the INDIA alliance may prevent the NDA from forming the next government. However, the results on June 4 will ultimately reveal who will form the next government.