India General Elections 2024: War of words continues a day before counting

Polling officials carry EVMs and election materials after the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections. Pic/PTI

The war of words continued between the ruling parties and the opposition bloc on the eve of the Lok Sabha election vote counting. While the candidates gathered wits, the opposition said the results will prove the exit polls wrong. The NDA parties were confident of PM Narendra Modi's thumping return, though some said their numbers were likely to decrease in Maharashtra.

BJP's 'X' handle's pinned post had been saying for the past four days, "Agle Manglawar, fir ek baar Modi sarkar (The Modi government once again next Tuesday)". In anticipation of a big victory, Mumbai BJP had begun preparing 10,000 laddus from Monday morning itself. Events have been planned in the national capital and across the states.

On the same platform, the Congress quoted its ex-president Sonia Gandhi as saying, "We have to just wait and see. We are very hopeful that our results are completely the opposite of what the exit poll is saying." Many other INDIA leaders reciprocated Gandhi's statement.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Ram Kadam, BJP

In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana created a flutter Monday morning. It said PM Modi would be out on Tuesday. For Shiv Sena (UBT) these elections are a fight for its survival post-break-up with the Eknath Shinde group that is out to prove its supremacy and originality as endorsed by the election commission. Similar is the case with the NCP factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. For BJP, it's a testing time as far as the selection of new allies is concerned.

The editorial's author and party MP Sanjay Raut said, "We don't need any exit polls. We work at the ground level and know the undercurrent created by Uddhav Thackeray's campaign. We (INDIA bloc) will win and make a government by winning 295-310 seats. NDA will not win more than 225 seats. In Maharashtra, we are winning 30-35 seats."

BJP legislator Ram Kadam reacted sharply to Raut. "Is Raut speaking after a drunken night? What kind of atonement will he undertake if proved wrong? Will he quit politics? It will be clear by 3 pm Tuesday that Modi-ji has beaten the extortionists," Kadam said.

Most exit polls have given the BJP highest numbers nationally, but indicated a drop in Maharashtra. Some say the two sides will share the spoils equally. Some areas have either NDA or INDIA leading by a slender margin. Maharashtra has 48 seats, of which the NDA had won 41 in 2019. The Lok Sabha elections in the state that witnessed its politics changing 360 degrees in the past five years are difficult to predict.

BJP's senior minister Girish Mahajan told a news channel on Monday that the NDA might not retain 41 seats, but continue to be the topper. He said the selection of (unsuitable) candidates could be the reason for the losses in some places. However, he did not specify who among the three-party Mahayuti will lose more seats.

The BJP camp has been hoping to plug the gap created in the states it has been winning regularly by adding numbers down south (Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala), West Bengal and Odisha. A senior BJP leader said the party has been able to make inroads this time around. "We will increase our vote share. It may not translate in very big numbers but it will be a good beginning for us in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where the next elections will see more formidable fights," he said, adding that the party will perform much better in Bengal, Odisha, Telangana and AP.

Shiv Sena (Shinde) legislator Sanjay Shirsat endorsed the BJP leader's observation. He was very confident of the BJP-led NDA's resounding victory across the country. "Look at Tamil Nadu and other places in south India where the BJP will be gaining more. That will take us near a 400-mark," he said. He was equally confident of NDA making a good kill in Maharashtra.

Opposition leader in the Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar dismissed the NDA claims. "BJP's defeat is confirmed. By Tuesday evening, we will be at the top. We will form the next government," he said.

Seven-phase polling for the 543 parliamentary constituencies started on April 19 and ended on June 1. Counting will be held today. The results of simultaneous assembly elections in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh will also be declared on Tuesday along with some by-elections. The votes for the state elections in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh were counted on Sunday.

543
No. of parliamentary constituencies