One of the highlights of General Election 2024 is blanket of silence over the wide off the mark prediction of the media — especially telly talking heads — on the outcome. Every TV news channel had predicted that the BJP would cross its 2019 Lok Sabha tally of 303 seats and that the 40-party National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of which BJP is the standard bearer, would bag 390 (out of a total 543) seats with several channels endorsing Prime Minister Modi’s boast that the Modi Sarkar would cross 400. On June 4 when the votes were counted, BJP won 240 seats and the NDA 293, just crossing the majority 272 threshold. How could all TV channels many of whom had elaborately dressed up their studios and summoned expert psephologists to conduct exit polls, have got it so wrong?
The cardinal error of their over-paid anchors and market research experts nurtured on rote learning and blind imitation of Western television news channels, is to assume that voters emerging from polling booths tell the truth about vote casting. Well aware of the huge powers and proclivity of government, i.e, the ruling party, to victimize those against it, most electors tend to choose discretion over valour and profess to have endorsed the ruling party candidate. Although upper middle class voters aware of their constitutional rights may be inclined to reveal political preferences, the vast majority of the citizenry is only too well-aware of the vindictiveness and insolence of office of government lackeys and local mafia dons who may well target voters who come on record about their voting preferences.
In the circumstances, it would be advisable for pollsters and media personnel to pose indirect questions relating to burning issues such as inflation, unemployment, communalism etc, and draw inferences for and against the ruling party. Simultaneously, television anchors also need to curb their enthusiasm for reporting what their industrialist masters — for whom stability and continuity of government is high priority — wish to hear. Not without cause have screen news channels earned the description of godi media.
Also read: Elections must reflect will of all people