Thiruvananthapuram: Minutes after exit poll results were out senior Congress leaders huddled analysing statistics received from respective DCCs. KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran, however, rubbished the exit polls saying they lacked credibility. Exit poll surveys by India Today-Axis My India, India TV C-Voter, etc. predict a clean sweep for the CPM-led LDF. With none predicting the UDF romping home, a pall of gloom fell on senior Congress leader A. K. Antony’s face.
Sources close to him say he feels more than the corruption charges raised against the government, it is the ‘face’ of the UDF towards its fag end that played spoilsport. “Mr Antony is hopeful of getting more seats than what exit polls predict. He is still hopeful that BJP will not get any seats. Even though few sitting Congress MLAs have nursed their constituencies well, the voters had a general feeling that they are corrupt,” said a Congress leader in Antony camp.
However, Mr Sudheeran doesn’t trust the exit polls as India Today had predicted NDA victory in the last year’s Bihar Assembly elections. “These polls are showing exaggerated statistics. As far as the feedback the KPCC leadership received, we have put up a formidable fight in several constituencies across the state. We are still confident of winning and coming back to power,” he told DC.
Congress leaders dread mudslinging when results are out on May 19 over poor performance. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has already said that he would be responsible if voters rejected the UDF. At the same time, both the factions in the Congress have got a feeling that Mr Sudheeran is also partially responsible for marring the ‘face’ of leaders. But if those UDF ministers whom he wanted out of the fray are defeated, then he would stand vindicated.
