Congress, Opposition question exit poll credibility ahead of May 4 count
Synopsis
Ahead of the May 4 vote count, Congress and Opposition leaders are doing two things at once — claiming victory in key southern states and dismissing exit polls as unreliable speculation. The disconnect between their confidence and their scepticism of polling data sets up a high-stakes narrative that only the actual results can resolve.
Key Takeaways
Congress MP Jai Parkash claimed Congress-led governments are set to form in Kerala , Tamil Nadu , and Puducherry .
Congress leader Rajesh Thakur noted BJP leaders are avoiding discussion of states where they are weak.
Suresh asserted the UDF will secure a comfortable majority in Kerala .
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha described exit polls as speculative, comparing them to fantasy sports projections.
Jha also raised concerns over voter list accuracy and alleged EVM -related re-polling issues.
All leaders deferred final judgement to the official results on 4 May .
Leaders from the Indian National Congress (Congress) and allied Opposition parties on Thursday, 30 April expressed confidence in their electoral prospects while simultaneously questioning the reliability of exit polls, insisting that the true verdict would only emerge when votes are counted on May 4.
Congress Leaders Claim Strong Showing in South
Congress MP Jai Parkash, speaking to IANS, said that exit poll trends point to a strong performance for the party in southern states. He claimed that Congress-led formations are poised to form governments in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, while asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has negligible presence in these regions.
Point of View
But it carries a sharper edge this cycle. The delimitation controversy in Assam, the EVM re-polling allegations, and voter-list grievances are not new complaints; they are recurring themes that Opposition parties have struggled to convert into legal or institutional traction. The more substantive question is whether the Congress's southern confidence is grounded in internal survey data or is simply counter-messaging. May 4 will answer that — and will also test whether exit poll aggregators have corrected the directional errors that plagued their 2024 projections.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Congress and Opposition leaders questioning exit polls?
Congress and Opposition leaders argue that exit polls are speculative and unreliable, urging the public to wait for official results on May 4. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha compared exit poll projections to fantasy sports predictions, saying they do not reflect ground realities.
Which states is Congress claiming it will win?
Congress MP Jai Parkash claimed that Congress-led formations are set to form governments in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, asserting that the BJP has little to no presence in these states.
What concerns did Opposition leaders raise about the electoral process?
Congress MP Jai Parkash raised concerns over delimitation in Assam, alleging that constituency boundaries were altered in a way that compromised electoral fairness. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha flagged issues with voter lists and alleged EVM-related re-polling in certain areas.
When will the official election results be declared?
Official vote counting is scheduled for May 4, when the final electoral verdict across the contested states and union territories will be confirmed.
What did Congress leader Rajesh Thakur say about the BJP?
Rajesh Thakur said the BJP never publicly acknowledges electoral setbacks, noting that BJP leaders are focusing on competitive states like West Bengal while avoiding discussion of regions such as Kerala where their position is weaker.
