Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 21 : Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday rejected the exit poll predictions released for the assembly elections of Maharashtra, Jharkhand and by-elections, saying that exit polls in India have lost their relevance.
The Congress MP pointed out that in the Lok Sabha elections, exit polls predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win over 400 seats, but the actual number was 240.
"Exit polls in India have lost their relevance. In Lok Sabha the exit polls made PM Modi win more than 400 seats but they won 240 seats...On 23rd November we will get the correct picture. Exit polls showed wrong data in the Haryana Assembly elections also, exit polls have lost their relevance in India," Tagore told ANI.
His comments came after various exit polls on Wednesday projected that the ruling Mahayuti alliance, led by BJP, would retain power in Maharashtra, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) falling short of a majority.
According to the P-MARQ exit poll, the Mahayuti alliance would win 137-157 seats whereas the Maha Vikas Aghadi would get 126-147 seats and others 2-8 seats.
In Maharashtra, the primary contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
In Jharkhand, exit polls predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance could come to power replacing the JMM-led alliance.
While most exit polls said that the BJP-led alliance will have a shot at the government formation, some predicted that the ruling JMM-led alliance will be ahead.
Elections were held in two phases for 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand.
Polling for the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections across 38 constituencies in 12 districts concluded on Wednesday, recording an approximate voter turnout of 67.59 per cent till 5 pm.
The first phase of the Jharkhand polls was held in 43 of 81 assembly seats on November 13. The results for all 81 constituencies will be declared on November 23, alongside those for Maharashtra Assembly elections and bypolls across several states.