New Delhi: The Congress forecasted a substantial victory for the Opposition INDIA bloc with an estimated 295 seats, contrasting sharply with the exit polls released later on Saturday (June 1). The majority of these polls suggested that the BJP-led NDA could secure more than 350 seats.
The projection of 295 seats for the INDIA bloc came from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge following a meeting of the Opposition alliance. He emphasized the need not to be swayed by the BJP's narrative and expressed confidence in the INDIA bloc's performance. However, it's worth noting that exit polls can sometimes be inaccurate.
Kharge provided a breakdown of the projected seats state-wise, indicating optimism for significant wins in certain regions. For instance, the INDIA bloc anticipated winning 40 seats in Uttar Pradesh, but exit polls suggested a more favorable outcome for the NDA, predicting 64 to 67 seats.
Similarly, in Rajasthan, where the opposition assessed it could secure seven out of 25 seats, the exit poll aligned more closely with the Congress's estimate, forecasting five to seven seats for the INDIA bloc.
The assessment extended to Maharashtra, where the INDIA bloc anticipated 24 seats out of 48, mirroring the exit poll prediction of 16 to 20 seats.
In Bihar, the opposition envisioned winning 25 out of 40 seats, but exit polls indicated a significantly lower outcome of not more than 10 seats.
Across various states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab, and Delhi, there were discrepancies between the INDIA bloc's projections and the exit poll forecasts. For instance, while the INDIA bloc anticipated sweeping victories in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the exit polls suggested stronger performances for the BJP in these regions.
Overall, the INDIA bloc's claim of 295 seats was based on assessments by opposition parties, whereas the exit polls presented a different perspective. The accuracy of these predictions will be revealed on June 4 when the Election Commission announces the official results.
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