Chennai: Stressing that exit polls quite often proved to "notoriously unreliable" and "incorrect", Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha today (May 2, 2004) said that the exit polls would "stand exposed" after the results are known on May 13 and that his party was not bothered about it.

Exit polls conducted by various agencies were "notoriously unreliable". Therefore, for any political party to prepare its future programmes or strategy on the basis of such polls is unwarranted', he said, speaking at Meenambakkam airport, en route to Neyveli.

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Sinha said it did not matter whether such polls went in favour of or against a political party. "The issue is of its reliability and such exit polls have often proved to be incorrect and unreliable in the past," he said, adding that those who gave much credence to exit polls were only "living in a dream world for a few days". "Once the results are out, everything will be clear. Why bother about such exit polls," he asked.

Categorically stating that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would get a "clear and comfortable" majority in the polls, he said his party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was not dependent on "movies and actors" for its success.

Replying to a question on Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Laxman Kadirgamar's talks with him in New Delhi, Sinha said, " We are happy he came to meet us."

"We had a very useful discussion. We will continue to have discussions with Sri Lanka after our own elections."

It was for the Sri Lankan Government to take the initiative for holding peace talks, he added.