The Congress party has chosen to abstain from joining the televised exit poll debate following the conclusion of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, as confirmed by party sources. 

In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP secured 105 seats, the undivided Shiv Sena won 56 seats, and the undivided NCP claimed 54 seats, while Congress won 44 seats.

The India Today-Axis exit poll forecasted 166-194 seats for the NDA (BJP and Shiv Sena) and 72-90 seats for the UPA (Congress-NCP).

News18-IPSOS predicted a strong 243 seats for the NDA and 41 for the UPA. Republic-Jan Ki Baat estimated the NDA would win 216-230 seats, with the UPA getting 52-59 seats. Times Now projected 230 seats for the NDA and 48 for the UPA.

ABP News-C Voter’s projection placed the NDA at 204 seats and the UPA at 69 seats.

After numerous exit polls incorrectly predicted a Congress victory in the recent Haryana elections, several political parties questioned the integrity of the counting process. Addressing the concerns, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasized the need for media introspection regarding the expectations shaped by exit polls.

“Exit polls often create significant distortions due to the expectations they set. This calls for self-reflection, particularly within the electronic media,” Kumar stated, urging self-regulatory bodies like the National Broadcasters Association (NBSA) to step up oversight of media organizations.

Kumar clarified that while the Election Commission of India does not regulate exit polls under the law, a concerning trend has emerged over recent elections, with news channels beginning their coverage of results as early as 8 AM.