Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 3 : Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Sunday dismissed recent exit polls predicting the BJP's success in Assam and West Bengal, stressing the need to wait for actual election results.
Speaking to ANI, Tagore said that at present the exit polls are "commercialised" but praised the voter turnout in Tamil Nadu. He said that the increased voter turnout reflects the hope of greater impact in India's democracy.
"Exit polls are polls that have now been commercialised. Therefore, I don't believe in the exit polls... We should wait for the verdict of the people, and the people have given the verdict. It's time that we wait and know the results in 24 hours. In Tamil Nadu, turnout has increased. We hope that the youngsters... The way the youth and women have spoken, there is a hope that democracy in the country will have a greater impact. I hope that it will all help in the continued progress of Tamil Nadu," said Tagore.
His remarks come as several pollsters, including People Pulse, Matrize, and P-MARQ, have projected a comfortable majority for the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in the 234-member Assembly. Most exit polls estimate the alliance securing between 120 and 145 seats, while the AIADMK-led NDA is projected to trail with 60 to 100 seats.
Tamil Nadu witnessed strong voter turnout in the recently concluded polls, with several districts recording high participation. According to the Election Commission of India, the overall turnout stood at 82.24 per cent, reflecting significant voter engagement across urban and rural constituencies.
The Assembly elections saw a direct contest between the DMK-led alliance, which includes the Congress and other regional parties, and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). With counting scheduled for May 4.