Following the denouement of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, prognostications from exit polls have envisaged an overwhelming preponderance for the BJP-led NDA. On June 2, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and prominent party luminary Rahul Gandhi orchestrated a virtual convocation with the party’s candidates to meticulously scrutinize the extant milieu preceding the official declaration of results.
Subsequently, Kharge accentuated that the INDIA bloc would amass no fewer than 295 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha.
In a discursive engagement with senior journalist Ravindra Ojha of The Interview World concerning the exit poll auguries, Kharge repudiated the prognostications as spurious and fallacious. He avowed with resolute conviction that the Opposition INDIA bloc is destined to constitute the forthcoming government. Ensuing are the salient insights derived from his colloquy.
Q: What do the exit polls indicate about the likely outcome of the election?
A: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies are actively discussing the exit polls. However, I urge public not to take their narrative seriously. The BJP is deliberately trying to manipulate perceptions. In stark contrast, we are resolute in presenting the unvarnished truth. Our analysis indicates that the INDIA bloc leaders will secure no fewer than 295 seats. This number is likely to be even higher. After thorough deliberations, we have determined this figure based on an independent survey. Moreover, our survey reflects the people’s voices and the information they have provided to our leaders.
Furthermore, the exit polls aired by various channels are blatant psychological ploys orchestrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Q: What specific measures do you implement to guarantee the accuracy and integrity of the counting process on June 4?
A: We will confront head-on the psychological games orchestrated by Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. We will emerge victorious on June 4th. The INDIA bloc will also assertively present our demands to the Election Commission regarding the counting of votes, leaving no room for compromise.
This is nothing short of a power play driven by corporate interests. Should we ascend to power, we will wield our financial strength to dictate outcomes as we see fit.
At present, our paramount concern is the meticulous preparation for the counting day. Leaders of the INDIA alliance are also relentlessly drilling their workers on the critical importance of Form 17C. They are uncompromising in their directive that counting agents remain vigilant throughout the entire process, departing only after securing the constituency-wise certificate of votes counted and the results. This certificate will serve as irrefutable evidence, detailing every aspect from ballot units to candidate-wise votes, authenticated by the signatures of the counting agents.
Q: Have you had any discussions with other party leaders regarding your strategy?
A: After extensive consultations with our PCC presidents, CMs, in-charges, and candidates, their resolute confidence resonates loud and clear. Dismissing the purported government-backed exit poll as nothing short of a sham, we assert with unwavering certainty that the INDIA bloc will clinch a commanding 295 seats, ensuring a decisive victory and government formation.
In strategic discussions with influential figures like Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, and other esteemed party leaders, our preparations for the pivotal vote counting day on June 4th are in full swing.
Additionally, explicit directives have been issued to all parties and cadre, leaving no room for ambiguity. Each cadre must stay fully briefed on the counting process protocol, steadfastly adhere to prescribed guidelines, and remain in the counting hall until all procedural formalities, including acquiring the C form.
United in our collective efforts and fortified by unwavering resolve, we confidently project the realization of our ambitious goal of securing 295 seats.
Q: Why is Form 17C significant in the electoral process in India?
A: Form 17C is a document of paramount importance, divided into two pivotal sections. Part I stands as a testament to the turnout at the polling station, meticulously filled out by the presiding officer immediately after polling concludes. This section, disseminated to all political party polling agents, also encapsulates crucial voter data, including the allotted electorate count, register of voters’ entries, abstentions, and disallowed votes. Furthermore, it mandates the presiding officer to unequivocally delineate the votes recorded by the voting machine.
Part I of Form 17C undergoes rigorous scrutiny by the returning officer, in conjunction with annexures to Form 17A. This meticulous examination serves to determine whether the necessity for a re-polling arises at any particular booth.
In stark contrast, officials complete Part II of Form 17C during the counting process, meticulously detailing the votes accrued by each candidate. Moreover, the sanctity and accuracy of Form 17C data stand as non-negotiable imperatives. We pledge unwavering vigilance in overseeing its integrity.
