Mamata Banerjee says Exit Polls a 'gossip', terms it 'game plan' to replace EVMs

While a host of national pollsters has started telecasting the exit poll results, following the conclusion of the seven-phase marathon Lok Sabha elections 2019 at 6:00 pm on Sunday, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee has claimed that she does not trust this 'Exit Poll gossip', adding that it is a game plan to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs ahead of the crucial May 23 verdict. She further urged all the opposition parties to stay united so that they can fight this battle together.

Taking to Twitter, Banerjee wrote, "I don’t trust Exit Poll gossip. The game plan is to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs through this gossip. I appeal to all Opposition parties to be united, strong and bold. We will fight this battle together".

I don’t trust Exit Poll gossip. The game plan is to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs through this gossip. I appeal to all Opposition parties to be united, strong and bold. We will fight this battle together

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 19, 2019

Various national pollsters, including News Nation, India Today-My Axis, Times Now-VMR, NewsX-Neta, Republic-Jan Ki Baat, Republic-CVoter, ABP-CSDS, and Today's Chanakya, have started airing the exit poll results from 6:30 pm as the Election Commission (EC) has mandated a half an hour gap to telecast the data following the conclusion of the mammoth Lok Sabha polls at 6 pm today.

As per the News Nation Exit Poll Survey, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to improve its tally by bagging 10-12 seats in the state, while the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) may win 26-28 seats. The Left Front and the Congress will end up getting 18 per cent and 10 per cent of the total votes respectively.

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As far as the vote share is concerned, Trinamool Congress is predicted to get 36 per cent of the total votes followed by the BJP (30%), Left (18%) and Congress (10%). Talking about the Nation Exit Poll, the BJP-led NDA is predicted to sail past the magic figure winning 282-290 seats, while UPA may get 118-126 seats in Lok Sabha elections 2019.

The exit polls, conducted by News Nation are based on responses of around 40,000 people who have cast their votes in their respective constituencies in West Bengal.

42 parliamentary seats across West Bengal went to polls in all seven phases held between April 11 and May 19. The state, which has been marred by violence since the first day of the marathon Lok Sabha polls, has witnessed a bitter battle between Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 23.