Congress leader Ashok Gehlot questions credibility of exit polls

Jaipur, May 1 (PTI) Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Friday questioned the authenticity of exit polls, released after voting in several states, claiming they lack credibility and are not trusted by people.
     The former chief minister's remarks came after many exit polls predicted either a BJP edge over TMC or a hung assembly in West Bengal, the UDF ahead in Kerala, and the return of MK Stalin and Himanta Biswa Sarma governments in Tamil Nadu and Assam, respectively.
     Responding to a query on exit polls, Gehlot said, "No one trusts exit polls. Sometimes they turn out to be correct, and sometimes they do not. There is no substance in them."
     On the occasion of International Labour Day, he expressed concerns over the condition of workers, saying that despite longstanding calls for unity among labourers, the situation remains serious.
     "Even minimum wages are not being paid to workers, which is very unfortunate," he said.
     Referring to the violent protests in Noida over a minimum wage hike, Gehlot said the situation serves as a warning for governments to introspect on how to better take care of labourers.
     He said it is the responsibility of employers, both morally and otherwise, to ensure the welfare of workers, failing which such situations arise.
     Gehlot further claimed that the condition in Rajasthan is worse, alleging that the state ranks among the lowest in terms of wage levels in the country.
     He said he has written to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressing deep concern over the economic condition of lakhs of workers in the state and has suggested an immediate revision of minimum wages, stating that current rates are significantly lower compared to other progressive states.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)