Exit poll predictions failing, says CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat as early trends show INDIA alliance's better performance

New Delhi: As the Election Commission put out trends from the counting of votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday morning, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat slammed the exit polls that predicted a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said the initial trends suggested that the exit poll predictions were failing.
"The race is in its initial stages right now. INDIA bloc has performed well in the initial stages. But like I said, this is only the beginning...The exit polls and the initial picture that was painted earlier is failing 100 per cent."
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also alleged that the exit polls were conducted to influence the share market to make money.
"Exit poll was done to influence the share market and those who wanted to make money in the share market yesterday made money. Now the reality is coming in front of you. Now let the full results come, after that, we will tell you. INDIA alliance is doing well," Yechury said.
Trends by the Election Commission on 542 Lok Sabha seats showed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had crossed the halfway mark with the BJP leading on 238 seats and winning one seat. The NDA was shown to be leading on 295 seats as per the trends reported by the Election Commission.
The INDIA bloc led on 230 seats with its ally Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead on 33 seats and Trinamool Congress on 29 seats. Both Rahul Gandhi and PM Narendra Modi were shown as leading from their constituencies of RaeBareli and Varanasi. Rahul Gandhi also was seen leading with a huge margin in Wayanad.
In the Hindi heartland state of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP was seen leading on 35 seats and its ally partner RLD led on two seats while the Samajwadi party led on 34 seats, as per the initial trends by the Election Commission.
In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52.
Around 642 million people voted in Lok Sabha elections held over seven phases in a mammoth six-week period. The counting of votes began starting with postal ballot papers amid tight security.
The counting for State Legislative Assemblies of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies also began.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is eyeing a third straight term in power, while the Opposition under the umbrella of the INDIA bloc is seeking to wrest power from the ruling party.
Most exit polls predicted a straight term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with quite a few of them projecting a two-thirds majority for the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The Congress party and its allies dismissed the exit polls as "orchestrated" and a work of "fantasy", asserting that the opposition INDIA bloc will form the next government at the Centre.
Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general election.
Two polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52.
Even before the counting of the votes, the Bharatiya Janata Party won one seat of Surat Lok Sabha.
Earlier on April 22, Mukesh Dalal won the election "unopposed". Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was rejected. His candidacy was rejected because of alleged discrepancies in the signatures of the proposers.
The Lok Sabha elections for 543 seats of the lower house were held across seven phases.