The Congress on Monday made it clear that it has not given up hope on the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections despite the unfavourable exit poll predictions.
The Congress said preparations were on at the party headquarters on Akbar Road for a media surge if there were good tidings. It has also asked its workers to remain vigilant during the counting of the votes and has put together a legal team to deal with discrepancies.
The central leadership told its workers “to step out of their homes to protect democracy. Instead of watching TV news and observing the results from home, we request all party workers to reach the district Congress offices and state Congress headquarters to help the party’s efforts in safeguarding our votes”.
State in-charges have been asked to make necessary arrangements for the party workers at the Congress offices across the country and make transportation arrangements to mobilise the workers at any place where there is an issue in counting. “We must stop all possible disruptions and malpractices during the counting process. This election will decide the fate of our Constitution,” the party said.
In a late-night appeal to the bureaucracy, which oversees the counting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged officials to work without fear. “The Congress now urges the entire bureaucracy to adhere to the Constitution, enact their duties, and serve the nation, without fear, favour and ill-will against anybody,” he said.
The INDIA bloc parties have been requested to have at least one leader with authority to make split-second decisions in Delhi through Tuesday in case the numbers stack up in a manner that calls for quick decision-making. Late Monday evening, Congress media in-charge Jairam Ramesh posted on X: “INDIA leaders will obviously meet after the results are declared. Any other meaning being given to it is completely misleading and false.”
Ramesh was responding to a post by news agency ANI citing Congress sources that the INDIA bloc leaders were asked to be in Delhi, suggesting that this was being done to organise demonstrations and press conferences if the situation so demanded.
“All senior leaders of the INDIA alliance have been called by Congress to stay in Delhi till tomorrow night or day after tomorrow morning. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has also taken a positive stand on this. A meeting will be held after the election results. If the number of seats does not come as per expectations and assessment, then other options, including demonstration/press conference/meeting with the President will be discussed where questions can be raised on the role of the Election Commission,” ANI had posted.
