A file photo of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a campaign rally in New Delhi's Hauz Qazi on Feb 5
As findings of major exit polls poured in one after another after voting for the Delhi legislative assembly concluded at 6 PM, its cadre and supporters have been left disheartened at the poor seat projection for the grand old party. While the C Voter exit poll predicted between zero to four seats for the Congress, IPSOS and POLSTRAT polls' findings have claimed that the party won't be able to open its account at all, much like the situation that the party faced in 2015.
According to IANS-CVoter Exit Poll, the Congress has hardly recovered from its rout in 2015. But many would say that the party's lacklustre campaign is also to blame for anti-BJP votes getting deflected towards AAP, which is tipped to get anywhere between 49 and 63 seats.
Compared to the high-voltage public meetings organised by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (AAP) across the national capital, the Congress leadership pitched in only in the last leg of the campaign.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed only four public meetings in Delhi, including two addressed along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi''s maiden public meeting was cancelled due to her ill-health.
The absence of senior Congress leaders from the poll fray has also not gone down well with the party cadres and supporters. After Sonia Gandhi''s intervention, Arvinder Singh Lovely and Rajesh Lilothia entered the poll fray though senior Delhi leaders such as Ajay Maken, Kiran Walia, J.P. Agarwal and the party's state unit President Subhash Chopra opted out.
And that is now getting reflected in the IANS-CVoter Exit Poll results, according to which the party will either draw a blank again or at best get four seats.
The Congress is expected to win from Chandni Chowk and one seat each from East Delhi, North East Delhi and South Delhi.
The projections are based on personal interviews conducted on the polling day among 18+ adults across the national capital, all confirmed voters. The sample size was 11,839 people.
(with IANS inputs)
