Don't be disheartened by fake exit polls, Rahul Gandhi tells party workers
New Delhi: Seeking to bolster the morale of his party's workers, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked them to not be disheartened by fake exit poll results and urged them to stay alert and vigilant.
His appeal to workers came a day after opposition parties raised concerns over reports of alleged tampering of EVMs and asked the Election Commission to ensure transparency in counting.
Gandhi asked the workers to believe in themselves and the Congress.
"The next 24 hours are very crucial. Stay alert and vigilant. Don't be scared. You are fighting for the truth. Don't be disheartened by the propaganda of fake exit polls. Believe in yourself and the Congress. Your hard work will not go to waste. Jai Hind," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
On Monday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra issued a similar message, asking party workers to not be disheartened by "rumours" and exit poll results. She also urged them to be alert at their respective strong rooms and counting centres.
Issuing a recorded audio message for Congress workers, she said they should not fall prey to "rumours and exit poll trends which are being promoted to undermine the spirits of Congress persons".
"Don't be disheartened by rumours and exit polls. These are crafted to undermine your spirits. Because of all this your alertness becomes all the more important. Be on your guard in strong rooms and counting centres. We are sure our and your hard work will bear fruit," Priyanka Gandhi said in the message.
Most exit polls have predicted a majority for the BJP-led NDA, leaving the UPA far behind.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
