NEW DELHI: With exit polls predicting a clear victory for the BJP in Maharashtra and Haryana, the saffron party on Monday claimed it was voters' tribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance and leadership while the Congress debunked it as a "speculative tool" that has often been off the mark.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said the party has faith in the judgement of voters and this will be reflected on the day of counting.

"Our ground feedback makes us believe that unemployment, farm distress, economic crisis and painful living conditions due to the misgovernance of the state governments of Haryana and Maharashtra are going to decide the results. We think that people would have remembered these issues while polling and it will reflect on the day of the counting," he said.

BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said the exit polls clearly show that his party is headed for a spectacular victory in Maharashtra and Haryana.

The polls show that the BJP is further consolidating its position in two states that have hitherto been Congress strongholds traditionally, he said.

"The projected big wins are a voter's tribute to the prime minister's unmatched governance and leadership at the national level and an effective, quality governance in the states.

"Opposition parties which are lacking credibility and implementing negative political agenda, are playing the same old-style politics and are steeped in corruption. They are unable to offer a challenge even in their erstwhile citadels. The new politics based on positive performance is powering the BJP's continued success," Rao said.

Another BJP spokesperson, Nalin Kohli, said, "It is a reiteration and reaffirmation of the credibility of the leadership of PM Modi in terms of his positive agenda of change that focusses on development and building a new India for aspirational India."

He said it also confirms that by pursuing a positive agenda the state government and its leadership stand a chance of being rewarded by voters.

Congress secretary, communications, Pranav Jha said the voters have reserved their verdict and it will be finally delivered on October 24.

"The Congress has always believed that opinion polls and exit polls are at the best, speculative tools that have been way off the mark more often than not. We all know BJP was more in the media, bill boards and WhatsApp rather than on the ground. For all the diversion that the BJP and Modi ji attempted in the name of Article 370 and America-China, we expect the people to vote on the issues of joblessness, economic slowdown, factory shutdown and agrarian crisis in the Maharashtra and Haryana," he said.

"These opinion polls certainly do not reflect ground realities. Wait for the counting day, the results will be opposite of what the exit polls are saying," Jha said.

The BJP appeared set to retain power with a bigger mandate in Maharashtra, where it is in alliance with the Shiv Sena, and Haryana, as exit polls forecast a facile victory for the party in the two states and rout for its rivals led by the Congress.

Exit polls, broadcast soon after the polling ended, varied widely in their projection of seats for the rival alliances but an emphatic victory with more than two-third seats for the BJP-led NDA in Maharashtra and Haryana was their common theme.



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