The INDIA bloc on Saturday sought to set the narrative ahead of the exit polls, expressing confidence about winning a minimum of 295 seats, while party leaders decided to unitedly send out a message to all their counting agents to be extra vigilant on June 4.
At an INDIA bloc meeting, the allies weighed in on the Congress to reconsider its decision to stay away from exit poll discussions on television channels on Saturday evening.
The Congress had on Friday announced that it would not take part in exit poll debates, averring "we do not see any reason to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP" before the actual results are declared on June 4.
However, at Saturday’s informal meeting called by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence, several other party leaders suggested that the INDIA bloc’s position should also be heard at these debates, which are essentially bids to set the narrative ahead of counting.
Even Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was in favour of the party participating in exit poll debates, sources privy to the discussion at Kharge’s residence said.
Subsequently, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera posted on X about the INDIA bloc's decision "to expose the BJP and its ecosystem on the prefixed exit polls". This became the refrain for all those who were at the meeting, be it the RJD's Tejashwi Yadav or the AAP's Sanjay Singh.
"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," Khera added.
Simultaneously, party leaders also did a back-of-the-envelope calculation of the INDIA bloc’s tally and arrived at the 295-plus figure.
On whether there was any discussion on the way forward after counting day, more than one party leader present at the meeting said it was too early for that and no one saw any rationale in putting the cart before the horse.
What INDIA leaders sought to highlight was the coordination between the parties as a counter to the confusion that critics sought to project about the Opposition bloc.
Earlier, briefing journalists after the meeting — which was attended by representatives of most INDIA bloc parties barring the Trinamool Congress — Kharge said they had discussed in detail the problems they might face during counting.
He said the bloc had drawn up a list of instructions to be passed on to its counting agents, who would be repeatedly told not to leave the counting centre till the entire process had been completed and the certificate obtained.
Further, the INDIA bloc decided to seek time with the Election Commission to press its litany of complaints that remain unaddressed.