New Delhi, May 1:
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday expressed confidence that the alliances of which the Congress is a part, will get a clear majority in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where Assembly elections were held earlier this month.
In Assam, where Assembly polls were held on April 9, Congress will win more seats than the exit polls show, he said.
He added that the grand old party gave a tough fight in Puducherry, and in West Bengal the fight has been for the party’s growth.
The counting of votes for all the five assemblies — West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, will be taken up on May 4.
“Exit poll results are shown clearly for some places, but some results have created confusion. But I feel DMK will get a clear majority in Tamil Nadu, I have also spoken to people there. In the same way in Kerala, I have been told by our people that (Congress-led) UDF will get majority,” Kharge said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “Exit polls have shown that in Assam we are not getting seats as expected, but I’m confident that we will get more seats than what they are showing. In Puducherry we have equally fought against BJP and N R Congress and we have expectations from there too. There was a tough fight there; let’s wait and see for a couple of days.” In West Bengal, according to exit polls and internal information there was a tough fight, Kharge said, “As per our information TMC is ahead.” Alleging “oppression and intimidation” by the BJP and NDA through the deployment of central forces in West Bengal during polls, he said, “By doing that they have tried to give a strong fight to the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.”
“For Congress, our fight has been in West Bengal since the beginning. We have contested alone for the first time there. Our fight has been in the interest of the party and for the party’s growth there,” Kharge added.