Before 2014 Indian media used to rejoice on the exit polls. Now the story has changed

After a gruelling campaigning process where insults were hurled, blows were traded, voters were swayed, and eventually, votes were cast — the results to the five states assembly elections are only a couple of days away. However, before the Election Commission draws the result from EVMs, the news TV channels have come up with their Exit polls. However, the results have upset a few and made their weekdays rough.

According to most Exit polls, BJP is set to come to power in Uttar Pradesh riding on tidal yogi Adityanath wave. The result of India Today-Axis My India exit polls predict a complete BJP sweep. The polls said that the Yogi Adityanath-led party would win 288-326 seats in the 403-seat Assembly.

Meanwhile, Jan Ki Baat polls predict 222-260 seats for BJP. The P-Marq claims BJP will win 240 seats. The TV9 Bharatvarsh has been conservative in its prediction, stating that the Yogi Adityanath will return to power by polling 211-225 seats. However, the upshot is that UP is set to don saffron for the second consecutive time.

Consequently, all exit polls forecast dismal performance by the Congress party, pushing it to the fourth position, behind BJP, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). They have predicted that Congress would be restricted to within single-seat figures.

Akhilesh Yadav led SP had been constantly claiming to overthrow BJP out of the state during the election trail. However, the most seats SP has received in the Exit Polls is only 135-165, predicted by Jan ki Baat. Thus, it appears that SP may have to content playing a subdued opposition to BJP in the state assembly.

Rajdeep’s meltdown on exit polls

The calculations in the exit polls have certainly knocked a few off their perch. Rajdeep Sardesai who works for India Today was visibly distraught at the results and tried to play down Yogi’s popularity. Sardesai was of the view that Yogi’s victory is based on his religious image that somehow swayed the voters.

Sardesai tweeted, “If #IndiaTodayAxis exit poll holds on results day,2 big winners are @ArvindKejriwal and @myogiadityanath :both political disruptors: Kejriwal as a start up, Yogi as a religious figure. Both challenge ‘establishment’ politics. Caveat: exit polls aren’t results! See you on 10th!”

While Sardesai can do his lazy punditry all he likes, the truth is that Yogi’s popularity amongst the masses is a direct result of his development activities. Yogi has led UP to the path of development, progress, and upliftment – something which was missing with the previous state governments.

However, Sardesai who has announced his retirement from covering elections for the umpteenth time, even rivalling Shahid Afridi did not waste a heartbeat to proclaim Kejriwal’s victory in Punjab as a result of his ‘startup’ model of politics.

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AAP used the Khalistan issue to drive votes – Sardesai overlooks it

However, it is clear as chalk and cheese that during the election canvassing process it was Kejriwal-led AAP that heavily used the Khalistan issue to drive the votes in its kitty. AAP leader Kumar Vishwas had remarked in the run-up to the elections that Kejriwal harboured dreams of becoming Prime Minister of Khalistan.

And Yet Sardesai dubbed Yogi as the religious figure. Even casting aspersions over his company’s data and saying that this is not the final result.

While Sardesai had to keep up with the appearances and hide his dejection, it appeared that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi had resigned herself to the fate. Asked about the beating Congress was taking in exit polls in all five states, Priyanka said, “We fought as hard as we could. We will wait and see the results.”

Read More: A desperate move in Rajasthan clearly points out what the Punjab election results will be

SP not admitting defeat while Rohini Singh goes incommunicado

Similarly, for the Samajwadi Party, its alliance party Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Choudhary remarked in the aftermath of exit polls, “There is no doubt that our alliance will form the government in UP this time. All this (exit polls) is an attempt to create mental pressure. It’s a way to demoralize the people who want a change in the state. Sometimes people form their opinions on the basis of others’ statements,”

Rohini Singh, the alleged 2BHK benefactor of SP in the previous elections has kept an uncharacteristic mum over the exit poll results, ever since they were announced. Before the last phase of UP elections, Rohini, for all practical purposes had become the voice of SP on social media platforms, doing the bicycle’s bidding with pomp and vigour.

A 4-1 scoreline has made BJP buoyant in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, its rivals and certain indoctrinated journalists are crestfallen. Ever since PM Modi and BJP came to power in 2014, the exit polls and the eventual results have become a source of perpetual misery for the lot. It’s no different this time around as well.