RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav
Credit: PTI Photo
Patna: Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Assembly and Mahagatbandhan Chief Ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday dismissed the exit poll reports and said these numbers were released even when people were standing in queues to vote.
“These exit polls, which have given a clear edge to the NDA and ruled out formation of Government by the Mahagatbandhan, came out even when the last vote had not been cast. These surveys are carried out just to bring pressure on officials involved in the election process,” said Tejashwi adding “We are sure we will sweep the poll on November 14 and form the Government on November 18.”
Past record
To buttress his point how the previous exit polls have gone horribly wrong, Tejashwi, while addressing the media, said, “The exit polls had earlier shown defeat of ruling party in Jharkhand and Bengal, but the results were diametrically opposite. Similar mistake with Haryana exit polls. In fact, the agencies carrying exit polls predicted the NDA crossing 400 seats during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.”
Tejashwi lashed out at the media too for giving undue weightage to the exit poll report. “Actually, the ‘Godi media’ loves such surveys. This is the same Godi media which captured Islamabad and Karachi (during Operation Sindoor). This is the same ‘Godi media’ which carried the news that Bollywood actor Dharmendra Ji has passed away and the BJP leader and UP CM Yogi issued a condolences message too,” said Tejashwi.
Questioning the methodology adopted by these exit poll agencies, Tejashwi said “the surveys are showing exit poll results but no one is talking about the sample size of the survey.”
Arguing that compared to the previous Assembly election in 2020, around 72 lakh more voters have exercised their franchise, Tejashwi said, “whenever the voters’ turnout is more, it’s usually for changing the Government. But the media will show you only what the PMO or Amit Shah will decide for them to show.”
“But let there be no doubt that Mahagatbandhan is going to sweep the poll. Our people are vigilant and no cheating (vote theft) will be allowed at any of the counting centres,” said Tejashwi, in an oblique reference to how some of his close aides were defeated in 2020 polls by as low as merely 12 votes’ margin.