Amit Shah attacks Congress for skipping exit poll debates call: ‘Denial mode’

After the Congress decided not to participate in the Lok Sabha election 2024 exit poll debates, to take place on June 1, Union home minister Amit Shah took a swipe at the grand old party, accusing it of being “in denial mode” and conceding defeat.

He said that Congress has been in denial since party leader Rahul Gandhi began playing key roles in its affairs.

Attacking the opposition, Amit Shah said, “The Congress ran the campaign through the polls that it is going to get a majority. But it has now realised the reality and knows that it faces a rout in the exit polls to be broadcast after the elections tomorrow.”

The home minister further added that Congress “does not have the face” to take questions from the media over exit poll predictions on Saturday, so it is debunking the entire exercise and claiming that it has no meaning.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi, Shah said, “Exit polls have been happening for a long time but, because of the defeat, they don’t know how to explain and that’s why they are boycotting. Since Rahul Gandhi has taken in charge of Congress, they are in denial mode.”

Shah said Congress leaders should not be in denial and instead introspect, as he accused the party of casting aspersions on the Supreme Court and the Election Commission when judicial judgments and poll results do not favour it.

“The BJP has lost many polls but has never boycotted the media or exit polls,” he said, expressing confidence that exit polls will indeed prove the ruling alliance is getting “400-paar”.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera on Friday announced that the party has decided not to take part in any exit poll debates on television news channels. He said in an X post that Congress doesn’t want to indulge in a political slugfest for the sake of TRP.

Khera said, “The Indian National Congress will not participate in the debates on Exit Polls. The purpose of any debate should be to inform the people. We will happily partake in debates from 4th June onwards.”

As per the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India, television news channels and news outlets will be allowed to publish exit poll data and its results after 6:30 pm on June 1, after the voting for Lok Sabha election concludes.