Congress’ U-turn on Exit Polls within 24 hours, now decides to join debate
New Delhi: The INDIA bloc meeting of Opposition parties on Saturday, which looked more like a show of strength than a ‘strategy meet’ resulted in a major embarrassment for the Congress. The grand old party, within 24 hours, has made a U-turn and reversed its decision on Exit Poll debates.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera took to his X handle and announced the party’s decision to now participate in Exit Poll debates.
He also termed it a chance to expose the BJP and its ecosystem on ‘pre-fixed Exit Polls’.
“INDIA bloc parties met and decided to expose the BJP and its ecosystem on the prefixed Exit Polls. After considering factors for and against participating in the exit polls, it has been decided by consensus that all the INDIA parties will participate in the Exit Poll debates on television this evening,” Khera wrote.
On Friday, Khera himself announced the party’s decision to not engage in ‘diversionary debates’ ahead of Exit Polls, drawing jeers from the BJP.
Such flip-flops by the Congress within 24 hours have given more ammunition to the BJP for more direct and targeted attacks.
The top BJP brass targeted the Congress party over its decision to boycott the Exit polls debate and described this as a tacit acceptance of defeat ahead of election results.
From Home Minister Amit Shah to BJP chief J.P. Nadda and other BJP leaders, all said that Congress pulling out of the Exit Polls process showed that it had conceded defeat and was now trying to make someone a scapegoat for its poll debacle.
Astonishingly, Congress president Mallikajun Kharge also gave his predictions ahead of the Exit Polls.
Addressing the mediapersons after the INDIA bloc meeting, Kharge said that the alliance was set to win at least 295 seats. This is set to draw sharp reactions from the BJP.
Before the INDIA bloc meeting, Kharge said that the meet was to see a smooth conclusion of the process till counting, however, the underlying message was palpable i.e. to keep the flock of more than 20 parties together.
With most poll surveys projecting, off the record, an easy victory for the BJP, poll pundits do see infighting and rumblings breaking out in the mammoth alliance of parties, soon after the June 4 election results.