Exit polls gossip, don't trust them: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Dubbing exit polls as "gossip", West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said she doesn't trust such surveys as the "game plan" is to use them for "manipulation" of EVMs.

The Bengal BJP was quick to hit back, asking Banerjee to "stop living in denial" as the days of her TMC government in West Bengal are numbered.

Most exit polls forecast a majority for the ruling BJP-led NDA in Lok Sabha elections with varying numbers, as the seven-phase democratic exercise ended Sunday.

"I don't trust Exit Poll gossip. The game plan is to manipulate or replace thousands of EVMs through this gossip. I appeal to all Opposition parties to be united, strong and bold. We will fight this battle together," Banerjee said in a tweet.

The BJP West Bengal unit in a tweet asked Banerjee to stop giving



lame excuses.

"Stop living in denial.@mamataofficial didi. You are confirming the exit poll results by coming up with bad excuses for an enormous defeat. Your days are numbered and only @bjp4bengal can build the new 'Sonar Bangla'. TMC defeat will ensure a new beginning for West Bengal," the BJP said.

In West Bengal, some of the exit polls suggested the TMC getting 24 seats, the BJP bagging 16, the Congress two and the Left Front drawing a blank.

Two exit polls telecast by Times Now gave the NDA 296 and 306 seats all-India, while they projected 126 and 132 for the Congress-led UPA.

Nearly 61 per cent voters turned out to cast their vote on Sunday in the seventh and the final round of the Lok Sabha election held in 59 constituencies across eight states and Union Territories.