Opposition parties on Sunday termed the exit polls "bogus" and it was Congress a "deliberate attempt" to justify rigging of the elections and part of "psychological games" being played by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lower the morale of the INDIA bloc workers.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi dubbed the exit polls as "Modi media poll". "This is not called an exit poll but its name is 'Modi media poll'. This is Modi ji's poll, it is his fantasy poll," Rahul Gandhi told reporters at the AICC headquarters after a meeting with party's Lok Sabha MPs via video conference.
Exit polls on Saturday predicted that Prime Minister Modi will retain power for a third straight term, with the BJP-led NDA expected to win a big majority in the Lok Sabha polls.
Asked how many seats INDIA bloc will get, the foremer Congress chief said, "Have you heard Sidhu Moose Wala's song '295'? So 295 (seats)."
While Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut described the exit polls as a "corporate game and a fraud" and claimed there was pressure on the media companies which conduct it, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also questioned the veracity of the exit polls, saying the opposition had already said that "pro-BJP media" would show the ruling party crossing 300 seats in the Lok Sabha.
Speaking to media, the Rajya Sabha member claimed the opposition INDIA bloc will win 295 to 310 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha and form government.
Raut also said they do not require the exit polls as they work on the field and know the "undercurrent".
"There is lot of pressure on these media companies. The exit poll exercise is a corporate game and a fraud. Do these companies conduct exit polls for free?" Raut asked.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader too claimed the opposition INDIA alliance will win 295 to 310 seats. "This is not an exit poll but the figures are taken through a people's poll," he said.
In Maharashtra, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), will win more than 35 seats out of the total 48, Raut said.
"The Shiv Sena will maintain its 2019 tally of 18 seats and the Congress and NCP will also do well. (NCP(SP) Lok Sabha member) Supriya Sule will win in Baramati by more than 1.5 lakh votes and the Congress will deliver its best performance," he said.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka will bring a change in the country along with Maharashtra, Raut claimed. "The INDIA bloc will win 35 seats (out of 80) in UP and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (headed by Lalu Prasad) will get 16 seats (out of 40) in Bihar," he claimed.
Akhilesh alleged that using the exit polls, the BJP wanted to benefit from the share market which opens on Monday, and added that "disappointed faces" of BJP leaders are telling the truth.
Insisting that the INDIA bloc was winning the Lok Sabha polls, the SP chief also called on the candidates and their poll agents to closely "monitor" the EVMs on counting day.
"Understand the chronology of the exit poll. The opposition had already said that pro-BJP media would show the BJP crossing 300 seats that would create the scope for fraud. Today's pro-BJP exit poll was prepared many months ago, the channels just aired it now. People's public opinion is being deceived through this exit poll," Yadav said."Based on this exit poll, BJP wants to benefit from the share market which opens on Monday. If these exit polls were not false and BJP was not losing, then BJP would not have blamed its own people. The disappointed faces of BJP leaders are showing the truth," he added.
He said that BJP leaders are realising that the result of the whole country cannot be changed like the Chandigarh mayoral election because this time the opposition is fully alert and public anger is also at its peak.
"Corrupt officials who are in cahoots with BJP are also not able to muster the courage to rig the elections after seeing an active Supreme Court, and they also do not want to become a victim of public anger," the SP chief said.
All the workers, office bearers and candidates of INDIA bloc should not make even one per cent mistake in monitoring the EVMs, Yadav said and added that the opposition alliance is winning the polls.
"That is why remain alert and get the counting done and celebrate the victory only after official certification," he said. In a separate social media post Akhilesh said, "The basis of exit poll is not EVM but the DM. Administration should remember that there is no greater force than people's power."