Akhilesh says ‘pro-BJP’ exit polls done for ruling party to benefit from share market

By Tajdar H. Zaidi

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday questioned the veracity of the exit polls, saying the opposition had already said that “pro-BJP media” would show the ruling party crossing 300 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The exit polls, which had been prepared months before and are only being shown on TV channels now, would create scope for “fraud”, Yadav alleged.

He further alleged that using the exit polls, the BJP wanted to benefit from the share market which opens on Monday, and added that “disappointed faces” of BJP leaders are telling the truth.

Insisting that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc was winning the Lok Sabha polls, the SP chief also called on the candidates and their poll agents to closely “monitor” the EVMs on counting day.

Several exit polls, which were aired on Saturday evening, predicated a comfortable majority for the BJP-led NDA. Counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls will be held on Tuesday.

“Understand the chronology of the exit poll. The opposition had already said that pro-BJP media would show the BJP crossing 300 seats that would create the scope for fraud. Today’s pro-BJP exit poll was prepared many months ago, the channels just aired it now. People’s public opinion is being deceived through this exit poll,” Yadav said in a post on X.

He said that BJP leaders are realising that the result of the whole country cannot be changed like the Chandigarh mayoral election because this time the opposition is fully alert and public anger is also at its peak.

“Corrupt officials who are in cahoots with BJP are also not able to muster the courage to rig the elections after seeing an active Supreme Court, and they also do not want to become a victim of public anger,” the SP chief said.

In a separate tweet he said, “The basis of exit poll is not EVM but the DM. Administration should remember that there is no greater force than people’s power.”