DK Shivakumar, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and AICC observer for the Assam elections, rejected exit-poll predictions on May 2, 2026.
Shivakumar's confidence comes as the Congress-led opposition alliance prepares for the official vote counting process. His dismissal of the polls suggests a strategic effort to maintain morale among alliance partners and prevent candidate defection before the final results are announced.
During a meeting with alliance partners in Guwahati on May 2, 2026 [1], Shivakumar said the united opposition is positioned to take power. He dismissed the validity of the forecasts regardless of whether they favored his party or not.
"I don't believe in any exit poll, whatever it may be — whether it is in our favour or not," Shivakumar said [4].
The Deputy Chief Minister is currently camping in Assam to coordinate with alliance members. Part of this presence involves protecting Congress MLAs from potential defection before the results are finalized [3].
This high-level oversight is intended to ensure the alliance remains intact as they move toward the official tally. The scheduled vote counting will take place on May 4, 2026 [1].
Shivakumar said that the alliance is confident in its ability to form the government in Assam [2]. This stance contradicts various exit polls that have circulated ahead of the counting day.
“"I don't believe in any exit poll, whatever it may be — whether it is in our favour or not."”
The presence of a high-ranking AICC observer like DK Shivakumar in Guwahati indicates that the Congress party views the Assam results as a critical pivot point. By explicitly rejecting exit polls and focusing on preventing MLA defections, the party is attempting to secure its coalition stability to ensure it can quickly claim power if the numbers allow.
