The BJP on the other hand trumpeted the projections of the opinion polls for the Lok Sabha elections to claim that only NDA can provide a stable government and suggested that several regional parties, which were once its allies, could return to its fold leading to "greater NDA".
"Such surveys keep coming...There is a political agenda behind such surveys," said senior Congress leader and Union Minister Jairam Ramesh while dismissing election surveys projecting lower seats for Congress and a surge for BJP.
Another Union Minister Manish Tewari too debunked the poll surveys, saying those who have chosen prime ministerial candidates will sit in Opposition, a veiled reference to BJP.
"After demolishing all surveys and analyses, when results of 2014 Lok Sabha elections come, you'll find that with God's grace and support of people those who have given Prime Ministers to the country are back in power and those who have given Prime Ministerial candidates are again back in their permanent place, the Opposition," Tewari told reporters in Delhi.
With election surveys projecting that his JD(U) may not do well in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar dismissed them as "PR campaign to boost TRP" and said poll results would send them into "deep shock."
"These surveys are nothing but a Public Relation campaign which are beamed on TVs to increase their TRP," Kumar said in Patna.
"Some surveys show that more than 63 per cent people say they are satisfied with performance of my government but will not vote for me," he said.
In an apparent dig at his arch rival Narendra Modi, Kumar dubbed him as "rumour master" and accused the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate and his party of launching "disinformation" campaign against him.
BJP leader Arun Jaitley said the opinion polls projected the party as the front-runner and claimed that current indications show that it could surpass its previous highest tally of 183 seats in the Lok Sabha.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
