The Congress party has opted out of engaging in Lok Sabha exit poll debates on television channels.
Congress spokesperson and media department chairperson Pawan Khera 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 statement shared 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 in a statement.
In the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections, fifty-seven seats spread across seven states and the Union territory of Chandigarh are set to undergo polling on Saturday. Notably, this phase includes Varanasi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is vying for a third consecutive term.
Polling will be held across 13 seats in Punjab, four in Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha, and three in Jharkhand, alongside Chandigarh. Simultaneously, polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls for six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh will take place.
Among the 904 contestants in the fray, several prominent figures are contesting, including Union minister Anurag Thakur, Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti, and actor Kangana Ranaut.
According to Election Commission guidelines, television channels and news outlets will be able to run exit poll data and its results on June 1 after 6.30 pm.