The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP for debate on exit polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 03, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP for debate on exit polls

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 2. Maintaining that the exit poll predictions have had a `devastating effect' on the country's economy and did not serve any `purpose,' the Telugu Desam Party has called for a debate on the need to have them.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the party's spokesperson and MP, C. Ramachandariah, and former MP, S. Venugopalachary, also suggested that some kind of a monitoring or regulatory mechanism should be put in place with regard to the exit polls. Asked to elaborate on the monitoring system, they said "let there be a debate first."

Alleging that some of the exit polls were "irresponsible, erratic and done with vested interest," they said that the very purpose of having a long gap between the first phase and counting was getting defeated. Though exit polls were routinely conducted in many developed countries, the period between the time of completion of polling and the results was normally very less.

Following pollsters' forecast, market capitalisation fell by Rs.56,000 crores and the rupee's value too dipped. "As a result, millions of small investors and importers suffered."

When it was pointed out that they were raising the issue because of the likely defeat of the TDP, Mr.Ramachandraiah asserted that there was no question of his party getting defeated.

On the contrary, Congressmen would suffer from "shock" after the results.

He said that it was not the question of the political future of the TDP or Congress. "It is a question concerning the country's economy. It is not a small issue and should not be taken lightly." Why should the economy be subjected to this kind of "disturbance" though it might revive a few months later, they said.

Replying to another query, he questioned the "credentials" of NDTV channel and said that its predictions in the recent assembly elections in Rajasthan and other States had gone wrong.

Similarly, in 1996 too, it had forecast that the TDP would win only two seats. Besides, why did it not forecast the outcome in Karnataka, he asked.

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