The announcement of the Congress that it will boycott the exit poll debates evoked a strong reaction from the BJP on Friday, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah accusing the Congress of being in “denial mode”. The controversy began when AICC media and publicity department chairman Pawan Khera wrote on X: “Our statement on the reason for not participating in #ExitPolls. Voters have cast their votes and their verdict has been secured. The results will be out on 4th June. Prior to that, we do not see any reason to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP. The Indian National Congress will not participate in the debates on #ExitPolls. The purpose of any debate should be to inform the people. We will happily partake in debates from 4th June onwards.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah reacted with a strong statement: “It’s nothing new that the Congress will tomorrow boycott discussions on the exit poll. The Congress is in denial mode for quite some time. They kept claiming throughout the election that they are getting a majority. Now they also know that in the exit poll, they are going to be badly defeated. That is why they are dismissing the whole exercise of exit polls.” Shah added, “Exit polls have been happening for a long time, but they are boycotting them this time as they can’t explain the reasons for their defeat. And, anyway, since Rahul Gandhi has come to the core of the Congress, the party is living in denial mode. They question the Supreme Court and the Election Commission. They question EVMs. They run away from Parliament instead of debating there. They mock constitutional positions and also question the agencies. I think that after Rahul Gandhi came to the core, be it any institution…, the Congress is in denial mode. That is the reason why they are boycotting the exit poll. I want to tell Congress leaders – being an ostrich won’t help. Face defeat with courage, introspect and move ahead. The BJP also lost many polls, but we never boycotted the media and exit polls. I have faith that any exit poll will concretise the 400-plus slogan of the BJP on the ground.” BJP president JP Nadda also wrote on X, “Congress’s decision to not participate in Exit Polls, on the eve of Phase 7 polling, is an unequivocal confirmation that the Congress has conceded the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is not surprising, since the Congress usually opts out when it doesn’t expect results to go in its favour, but has no compunction showing up, if it thinks it has even an outside chance. Their hypocrisy is not lost on anyone. Let no one in Phase 7 waste their vote on them.But what is more disconcerting is Congress’s antipathy towards the largest democratic process in the world, which saw participation of over 960 million aspirations. While Indians were electing their leader, who would lead them in the new world order, improve their lives, bring opportunities and prosperity, Congress was working assiduously to undermine the very institutional process, on which rests our robust democracy’s foundations.”
