The Trinamool Congress has rejected exit polls suggesting an advantage for the BJP in the West Bengal Assembly elections, highlighting past inaccuracies in such predictions. Derek O’Brien, a Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP, raised doubts about the reliability of exit polls, pointing to discrepancies in the 2021 Assembly elections. He emphasized how previous exit polls had failed to match the actual election results in West Bengal.
O’Brien shared data from three exit polls conducted during the 2021 elections, which had forecast a tight competition between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. However, the Trinamool Congress emerged victorious with a significant margin, contrary to the exit poll projections. The party secured 215 seats, while the BJP managed to win only 77 seats.
Former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale echoed similar sentiments, noting that exit polls often suggest a close race in West Bengal, despite historical trends of clear mandates in the state. Gokhale emphasized that exit polls tend to play it safe by predicting a tight contest, whereas electoral outcomes in Bengal have historically been definitive.
Several exit polls on the West Bengal Assembly elections have indicated a competitive scenario between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, hinting at a potential change in power. Notably, predictions by various agencies foresee a close battle between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP, with the likelihood of a shift in leadership in the state.
