A day after the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and the exit polls predicted a thumping majority for the BJP-led NDA, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday held a virtual meeting with all the party candidates to assess the ground situation ahead of the results.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi after the meeting, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that after talking to the candidates, they believe INDIA alliance will not win less than 295 seats.

“Today, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi had a conversation with all our candidates and yesterday INDIA alliance leaders met at the residence of Mallikarjun Kharge and discussions were held. Everyone believed that INDIA would not get less than 295 seats,” Ramesh said.

Calling exit polls “psychological games” being played by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress leader said that a party delegation will meet the Election Commission to put forth their demand for the counting day.

“We will face the psychological games that are being played by PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah and we will win on 4th June. Today at 4:30 pm, a delegation of the INDIA alliance will meet the Election Commission and put forth our demands regarding the day of the counting of votes…,” he said.

Most exit polls have predicted landslide victory for the Prime Minister Modi-led NDA alliance. Some of them even predicted the NDA could cross the 400-mark.

Speaking on the exit polls, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal said that the post poll predictions are a bogus poll for the government and that they are confident that the Opposition INDIA bloc will form the government.

“We have discussed with our PCC presidents, CMs, in-charges and candidates, they are all very confident. This exit poll is a bogus poll for the government. INDIA alliance will get 295 seats and certainly form the government,” Venugopal said.

According to sources, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and other senior leaders of the party joined the meeting to discuss the assessments and preparations for June 4, the day of the counting of votes.

The meeting also comes in the backdrop of an INDIA bloc meeting at the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in the national capital on Saturday.

Leaders from Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI-M, CPI, DMK, JMM, AAP, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar) gathered at Kharge’s residence for discussions and exuded confidence of forming government at the Centre.