Congress Revokes Decision Not To Participate In Exit Poll Debates, Says 'Decided To Expose BJP'

The decision comes a day after the Congress decided not to participate in any Lok Sabha exit poll debates on TV channels and said it does not want to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP.

Congress leader Pawan Khera addresses a press conference at AICC headquarters in New Delhi.

Day after Congress announced its decision to not participate in the upcoming exit poll debates, the party revoked its decision saying that it will participate in exit poll debates on television "to expose the BJP and its ecosystem."

"INDIA parties met and decided to expose the bjp and its ecosystem on the prefixed exit polls. After considering factors for and against participating in the exit polls, it has been decided by consensus that all the INDIA parties will participate in the exit poll debates on television this evening," Congress leader Pawan Khera said.

INDIA parties met and decided to expose the bjp and its ecosystem on the prefixed exit polls.
After considering factors for and against participating in the exit polls, it has been decided by consensus that all the INDIA parties will participate in the exit poll debates on…

— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) June 1, 2024

The decision comes a day after the Congress decided not to participate in any Lok Sabha exit poll debates on the television channels and said it does not want to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP. 

Congress spoksperson and media department chairperson Pawan Khera had said the voters have cast their votes and their verdict has been secured. 

"The results will be out on 4th June. Prior to that, we do not see any reason to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP," he said in a post on X. 

"The Indian National Congress will not participate in the debates on Exit Polls. The purpose of any debate should be to inform the people. We will happily partake in debates from 4th June onwards," Khera said. 

आगामी एग्जिट पोल डिबेट्स में पार्टी द्वारा भाग ना लिये जाने के निर्णय पर हमारा वक्तव्य :

मतदाताओं ने अपने मत दे दिया है एवं मतदान के परिणाम मशीनों में बंद हो चुके हैं।

4 जून को परिणाम सबके सामने होंगे। भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस की नज़रों में परिणाम घोषित होने से पहले किसी भी…

— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) May 31, 2024

The decision was taken after consultations within the party, a report in PTI said. 

Following the announcement, the BJP leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda took a dig at the party and said the party's decision not to participate in the debates is the confirmation that the opposition party has conceded the Lok Sabha elections.

Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Shah said in a statement that the Congress has been in a denial mode since he began playing a key role in its affairs. "The Congress ran the campaign through the polls that it is going to get a majority. But it has now realised the reality and knows that it faces a rout in the exit polls to be broadcast after the elections tomorrow," Shah said.