Sanjay Raut's ‘corporate game’ charge after exit polls predict NDA win

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday rejected the exit polls 2024 projections, calling it a ‘corporate game'.

“These exit poll predictions are a corporate game. You give them money, and they will release figures in your favour. If we come to power tomorrow and have money, we can release our own tally through exit polls. INDIA alliance will form government by securing 295-310 seats," PTI quoted Raut as saying.

"Everybody is under pressure. Jairam Ramesh tweeted yesterday and informed that acting home minister Amit Shah called up 150 collectors and threatened them,” PTI quoted Raut as saying.

Raut's remark comes a day after several pollsters predicted a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA projected to win over 350 seats in the Lok Sabha.

In Maharashtra, the exit polls predicted a close fight between the NDA and INDIA bloc. Maharashtra witnessed the poll battle between the BJP-Shiv Sena (led by Eknath Shinde)-NCP (led by Ajit Pawar) and the Congress- Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP(SCP) alliance.

Under the seat-sharing arrangement, the BJP contested in 28 constituencies, while its allies Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) fought in 14 constituencies and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in five constituencies.

On the other hand, Maha Vikas Aghadi members Shiv Sena (UBT) contested in 21 constituencies, Congress in 17, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) in 10 constituencies.

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s ally partner Congress has already rejected the exit polls as ‘orchestrated’. “The outgoing PM, the person who will have to leave for sure on June 4 has conspired all these things and have managed the exit polls. There will be a huge difference in exit polls and results of June 4. INDIA alliance had a meeting yesterday, we did detail discussions on numbers, it's impossible that INDIA alliance will get anything below 295,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told ANI.