Exit polls sign of voters’ confidence in Modi: Goa BJP

Panaji, May 19 (IANS) The exit polls, which on Sunday largely predicted a majority for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha elections, were a sign of the voters' confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Goa BJP President Vinay Tendulkar said on Sunday.

However, the Congress in the state argued that the exit polls did not account for the opinion of the "silent voters" whose votes will alter the predictions when the "real results" are announced on May 23.

"This is a vote for Modiji's leadership. He has made India and Indians proud of themselves and the exit poll predictions are an indication of how the voters appreciate this," Tendulkar said.

Responding to several exit polls showing the BJP winning both the Lok Sabha seats in the coastal state, Tendulkar said the prediction by the pollsters was a sign that the BJP was in a healthy position in Goa.

"Like the exit poll projections, we also expect to win both the seats in North Goa and South Goa. This is due to the hard work of the BJP workers. The victories will be a tribute to our late leader Manohar Parrikar and the guidance he gave to us over the years," Tendulkar said.

Parrikar, former Chief Minister of Goa and ex-Union Defence Minister, died on March 17 following a prolonged struggle with pancreatic cancer.

However, Goa Congress spokesperson Trajano D'Mello said that he did not believe in exit poll predictions because they did not account for the "silent voter" phenomenon.

"The silent voter does not speak to the pollsters. It is the silent voters' voice which will change the results predicted by the exit polls in our favour," D'Mello said.