EVMs have no role in exit polls: Arun Jaitley’s swipe at opposition

New Delhi:  Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday took a swipe at the opposition parties, saying the EVMs have no role in exit polls and if the results are in the same direction, their “fake” issue would also lose its non-existent rationale.

In a blog, the senior BJP leader asserted that voters are sending several messages including one that they don’t elect a hung parliament where “ugly” and “untenable” coalitions have a role to play.

“Exit Polls are based on personal interviews. The EVMs have no role. If the results of the exit polls and final results on May 23 are in the same direction, the Opposition’s fake issue of the EVMs would also lose its non-existent rationale,” he said.

If the exit polls are read along with the 2014 election results, he said it would be clear that there is a “huge maturing” of Indian democracy taking place.

“The electorate keeps national interest paramount before exercising a choice on whom to vote for. When well-meaning people with similar ideas vote in the same direction, it leads to the making of a wave,” he said in the blog titled “The Message of Exit Polls”.

Listing the takeaways from the exit polls, he said dynastic parties, caste parties and the obstructionists received a setback in 2014 and it will be reiterated loud and clear in 2019.

“Coalition of rivals are untenable alliances and the voters are no longer willing to trust them. Political analysts are confused but the voters are clear. They don’t elect hung Parliament where ugly and untenable coalitions have a role to play,” he said.

He said the arithmetic of caste coalitions loses to the chemistry on the ground created for the front runner in the elections. “This chemistry is in form of catching the imagination of the people on issues of national interest,” he said.

Slamming the Congress, Jaitley said fake issues only satisfy the “manufacturers of fakery” and the voters don’t buy them.

“The personalised campaign against Prime Minister Modi did not cut much ice in 2014 and may not cut any ice in 2019. Leaders are judged on merit and not on caste or family names. Thus, the Prime Minister’s style of rising above caste and concentrating on performance related issues received far more acceptability with the electorate,” he said asserting that the first family of the Congress is no longer an asset but an albatross around the party’s neck.

“Without the family, they don’t get the crowd, with it they don’t get the votes,” he added.

He said many politicians believe that ultimate wisdom lies only with them and they are unwilling for any radical solutions.

“The evolving ‘New India’ will accept structured parties with talent and ideological clarity concentrating on performance. If, however, the political parties are unwilling to get the message of 2014 and possibly of 2019, then alienation from the electorate will only widen,” he said.

Twelve of 14 exit polls predicted the NDA getting a full majority with seats ranging from 282 to 365. A party or an alliance needs 271 seats to form the government as the Lok Sabha elections were held on 542 of the 543 seats.

The exit polls predicted the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance getting 82 to 165 seats. Six exit polls predicted that ‘other’ parties were likely to get more seats than the UPA.

Published on: May 20, 2019 at 21:24 IST

IANS