EPS, Opposition sceptical of poll predictions, BJP all smiles

EPS rejects predictions of DMK-led alliance winning most seats in Lok SabhaS polls; Staliln and TNCC president Alagiri say they will wait for actual results
Almost all opposition parties remained sceptic about the predictions and said: “Let us wait for the actual results on May 23.”  (Photo | PTI)
Almost all opposition parties remained sceptic about the predictions and said: “Let us wait for the actual results on May 23.”  (Photo | PTI)

CHENNAI: The exit poll surveys, which have predicted that the BJP will retain power at the Centre have evoked mixed responses. While the BJP State unit is upbeat about the predictions at the national-level, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has rejected the Tamil Nadu predictions of the DMK-led alliance winning more seats in the Lok Sabha elections held on April 18. Almost all opposition parties remained sceptic about the predictions and said: “Let us wait for the actual results on May 23.” 

The CM in Salem rejected the predictions for Tamil Nadu. However, he said he did not know about the national-level predictions. “In the 2016 Assembly elections too, opinion polls predicted that only in three places in Salem district, the AIADMK would win and that I would be defeated.  But I won by a high margin of over 42,000 votes. In Salem district alone, we won at 10 places in 2016 elections. This is the reality about opinion polls...through this exit poll survey, a view is being imposed on the people,” Palaniswami said.

When reminded that most of the media houses have the similar exit poll predictions, a smiling Palaniswami said:” It will be clear on May 23 whether these survey predictions are true or what we said is.” Asked whether his stand would be applicable to the predictions about the BJP’s victory, Palaniswami said, “I restrict my views to the predictions related to Tamil Nadu. I am sure the AIADMK-led alliance will win all the 39 Parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry where elections were held and in the 22 Assembly constituencies where by-elections were held in the State.”

On the exit poll predictions that the DMK and alliance parties would lead in the Lok Sabha elections and in the by-elections to the 22 Assembly constituencies, DMK president MK Stalin said, “We don’t give importance to opinion poll predictions —whether they are positive or negative.  We are awaiting actual results on May 23.”

Asked about the reports about the May 23 meeting convened by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Stalin quipped: “It is media’s own making.  There is no such information.”However, TNCC president KS Alagiri confirmed the May 23 meeting and said, “The exit poll predictions are unacceptable as they were not conducted in a scientific methodology. There are two reasons for these types of predictions — one keeping in mind the opposition parties’ meeting at Delhi on May 23 and another one is that there is a plan to execute some irregularities in the constituencies where Congress will win, using the Election Commission.’’

Rejecting the exit poll predictions, AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran said “The functionaries of AMMK should reject these predictions as they are aimed at creating confusion among the AMMK cadre. The party functionaries should be vigilant enough on the counting day.”

Talking to reporters here, MDMK general secretary Vaiko said, “My view is that the Congress and other regional parties would form the next government at the Centre and in Tamil Nadu, the DMK will win all 22 Assembly seats.  As far as exit poll surveys are concerned, sometimes they concurred with the actual results to some extent and some times did not. Only two days more. Let us wait for the actual results.”

Expressing happiness over the exit poll surveys predicting victory for the BJP, party’s State president Tamilisai Soundararajan said “These predictions may go wrong in only one way.  The number of seats predicted for the BJP may go up and will not go down.”

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com