Election wrap: BJP retains Arunachal Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi's witty comment on INDIA bloc's expected seat count and more

Arunachal CM

A day after major exit polls predicted a decisive mandate for the BJP-led NDA dispensation, the saffron party emerged victorious in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly polls bagging 46 out of 60 seats.

Here are the other major developments of the day:

Rahul Gandhi's witty comment on INDIA bloc's expected seat count: "Heard Sidhu Moose Wala's song... 295?"

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday cited Punjabi singer Siddhu Moosewala’s 295 song as a reply to the number of seats the INDIA alliance would win in the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing reporters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi asked, "Sidhu Moose Wala ka song suna hai aapne?" in reply to a query about the anticipated seat count for the INDIA alliance in the Lok Sabha elections. Referring to "295 seats," he said (have you heard Sidhu Moose Wala's song) about "295".

The Congress leader commented on the exit polls, saying, "It is not exit poll, it is Modi media poll. It is his fantasy poll."

Congress met today with the party's Lok Sabha candidates to review the plan for June 4 counting day.

After the meeting, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said, "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."

LS polls: EC asks Cong's Ramesh to share details of claim on Shah calling up DMs before counting day

The Election Commission (EC) sought factual information from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday on his claim that Home Minister Amit Shah has called up 150 district magistrates and collectors ahead of the June 4 counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls.

In a letter to Ramesh, the poll panel has asked him to share details regarding his claim by 7 pm on Sunday.The EC has referred to his post on X on June 1, in which the Congress general secretary had alleged that ”the outgoing Home Minister has been calling up DMs/Collectors.
So far, he has spoken to 150 of them. This is blatant and brazen intimidation, showing how desperate the BJP is….” The process of counting votes is a sacred duty cast upon every returning officer and such public statements ”tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to be addressed in larger public interest”, the EC has told Ramesh.It has also told the Congress leader that when the Model Code of Conduct is in force, all officers are under the deemed deputation of the commission and they report directly to the poll watchdog for any directions.

DMK sitting pretty after exit polls prediction, but there are concerns about the future

For the DMK, the challenge is distant, geographically and in time. According to the News18 Mega exit polls prediction, the party is set for a comfortable win in the Lok Sabha election. The polls give it a massive 51 percent of the votes and at least 36 of the 39 seats.

But a loss for INDIA block at the national level would mean a new set of problems lying in wait. For one, the party will have to deal with a more aggressive Governor, RN Ravi, who has been a constant thorn in its flesh. Another five years of the NDA would be another spell of administrative issues being thrown up by the occupant of Raj Bhavan for the next two years of the DMK government.
Also, the central enforcement agencies have been chasing DMK ministers relentlessly, bringing up old cases and conducting searches. The DMK is hoping for a change of government that would take the heat off. Also, the party is hopeful of some plum portfolios in the event of the INDIA block coming to power. If the exit polls turn out to be true, then it would mean a couple of years more of constant pressure from the centre and the Governor.

Politically, the DMK cannot take much solace from the exit polls that forecast a rise in the number of seats for the BJP, and more worryingly, an increase in its vote share. For about a year now, it is the BJP's state president K Annamalai who has been going hammer and tongs at the DMK, more than even Edappadi Palaniswamy, the AIADMK leader.

What Andhra Pradesh exit polls foretell for the 3 bigwigs - Naidu, Jagan & Pawan

If the exit polls are accurate on June 4, the political landscape of Andhra Pradesh will undergo a significant transformation. This could lead to a revival of Chandrababu Naidu and his party, Telugu Desam. At the same time, Jana Sena, after a decade of waiting, might see another member of the mega family take the lead. The BJP, the other hand, could shift its focus to the 2029 elections. The incumbent chief minister, Jagan Mohan Reddy, could face a substantial setback, potentially altering the state's governance.

The exit polls announced by various agencies and some national media outlets on June 1 indicated a clear edge for the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena Party alliance over the ruling YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh in the 2024 elections.

BJP retains Arunachal Pradesh with 46 out of 60 seats, PM Modi thanks the people of the state

The Bhartiya Janata Party emerged victorious in Arunachal Pradesh Assembly election by winning 46 out of 60 seats, according to the Election Commission. The BJP reclaimed power in the hilly state for the third consecutive term today.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) enjoyed an edge as it has won 10 of the 60 seats in the state uncontested. Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein have already won their respective seats.

"I would like to appreciate the hardwork of the exceptional @BJP4Arunachal Karyakartas through the election campaign. It is commendable how they went across the state and connected with the people." tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.