In a recent statement, Clyde Crasto, a leader from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has voiced strong objections to the accuracy of exit polls for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Crasto claims that the exit polls are manipulated to present an overly favorable outcome for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)."These exit polls are fabricated. It has been done to please the BJP, to show that they are doing very well," Crasto stated, underscoring his skepticism about the polls' legitimacy. Despite these assertions, Crasto expressed optimism regarding the performance of the INDIA alliance, a coalition of opposition parties including the NCP. He confidently projected that the alliance would secure over 295 seats in the election.
Crasto's remarks came in response to Congress parliamentarian Sonia Gandhi's hopeful outlook on the alliance's chances in the upcoming elections. Exit polls have predicted a stunning victory for the BJP, with some pollsters claiming that the BJP-led NDA's score may well cross the 400 mark - a target set by the BJP with its 'ab ki baar 400 par' slogan. At the state level, the Rudra Survey-Exit Poll predicts the MVA will secure a 46% vote share, compared to the Mahayuti's 43%. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi is expected to gain 3%, with 8% going to other parties.
Seat-wise, Shiv Sena UBT is predicted to win the most seats at 14, followed by Congress with 12 seats. BJP is expected to secure 8 seats, the NCP-SP faction 8 seats, Ajit Pawar's NCP 1 seat, and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena 3 seats. The remaining seat would go to other parties, completing the tally of 48 seats.Mumbai's polling, held on May 20 alongside Palghar, Kalyan, and Thane, saw an average turnout of 52.4% for the six city seats in the 2024 elections. The official results, to be declared on June 4, 2024, will reveal whether the exit poll predictions hold true and which alliance will emerge victorious in Maharashtra.