Fact Check: NDTV opinion poll giving Congress majority in Karnataka is viral

With the elections in Karnataka heating up, several poll surveys have gone viral.

While many surveys are being shared on the social media there are similar ones on the internet as well, which have projected various numbers for the parties which are contesting in southern state. Both members of the BJP and Congress have shared poll surveys which favour them.

One such poll survey has now gone viral with the claim that the opinion poll was done by news channel NDTV. It shows that the Congress party would go on to win 131 to 142 seats in Karnataka. In the 224 member Karnataka assembly the magic number is 113.

"BREAKING NOW - KARNATAKA ELECTIONS. Most Opinion Polls are unanimously predicting that in Karnataka, BJP is staring at their biggest defeat due to huge anti-incumbency against 40% Commission govt," said one user while sharing the screenshot on Twitter.

We have found that the viral screenshot is misleading. NDTV publishes a poll or polls once the elections conclude. There are still five days more before Karnataka votes.

Had NDTV carried such a poll, it would have been on their website as well as their social media handles. We ran advanced searches to find that no such opinion poll had been carried out by NDScreenshot 2023-05-05 at 12.37.14 PM.pngTV. Moreover the media organisation itself has clarified that the viral screenshot is fake.

"Fake", wrote in the tweet: "Fake Tweet Alert | False posts on NDTV Poll of Poll tracker for Karnataka, being widely circulated, are misleading. Watch this space for the real #PollOfExitPolls on May 10th evening," NDTV wrote on Twitter.

As per the rules of the Election Commission of India (ECI) publishing of exit polls until the polling ends is prohibited.

Hence it is clear that the opinion poll being shared with the claim that it was done by NDTV is fake.